TRAUMA SYMPTOM INVENTORY - PSYCHOMETRICS AND ASSOCIATION WITH CHILDHOOD AND ADULT VICTIMIZATION IN CLINICAL-SAMPLES

This article examines psychometric characteristics of the 100-item Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) in a sample of 370 psychiatric inpatients and psychotherapy outpatient men and women. The 10 clinical scales of the TSI had a mean alpha of .87, with alpha s ranging from .74 for Tension Reduction Behavior to .90 for both Depression and Intrusive Experiences. A self-reported history of interpersonal trauma (in child- or adulthood) was associated with elevations on all TSI scales relative to those not reporting victimization. Post hoc multiple regression analyses indicated that client age, sex, inpatient versus outpatient status, childhood sexual and physical abuse, and adult sexual assault were unique predictors of various TSI raw scale scores. Sex interacted with other predictors in several instances; women with sexual- or physical-assault histories scored higher on Depression and Intrusive Experiences, and men battered in a relationship scored higher on Sexual Concerns and Dysfunctional Sexual Behavior.