Korean J Biol Psychiatry.
2016 Feb;23(1):29-36. 10.0000/kjbp.2016.23.1.29.
Reliability and Validity of the Korean Version of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist in Public Firefighters and Rescue Workers
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Psychology, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Incheon, Korea.
- 3Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
- 4Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea. inkylyoo@ewha.ac.kr, kjieun@ewha.ac.kr
- 5Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
- 6Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- 7Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- 8Central Officials Training Institute, Gwacheon, Korea.
- 9Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2251109
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kjbp.2016.23.1.29
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Firefighters and rescue workers are likely to be exposed to a variety of traumatic events; as such, they are vulnerable to the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychometric properties of the Korean version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL), a widely used self-report screening tool for PTSD, were assessed in South Korean firefighters and rescue workers.
METHODS
Data were collected via self-report questionnaires and semi-structured clinical interviews administered to 221 firefighters. Internal consistency, item-total correlation, one-week test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and divergent validity were examined. Content validity of the PCL was evaluated using factor analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to estimate the optimal cutoff point and area under the curve.
RESULTS
The PCL demonstrated excellent internal consistency (alpha = 0.97), item-total correlation (r = 0.72-0.88), test-retest reliability (r = 0.95), and convergent and divergent validity. The total score of PCL was positively correlated with the number of traumatic events experienced (p < 0.001). Factor analysis revealed two theoretically congruent factors: re-experience/avoidance and numbing/hyperarousal. The optimal cutoff was 45 and the area under the ROC curve was 0.97.
CONCLUSIONS
The Korean version of the PCL may be a useful PTSD screening instrument for firefighters and rescue workers, further maximizing opportunities for accurate PTSD diagnosis and treatment.
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