PTSD: National Center for PTSD
UCLA Child/Adolescent PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5
UCLA Child/Adolescent PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5
Description
The UCLA Child/Adolescent PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 (PTSD-RI) is the revision of the UCLA Child/Adolescent PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-IV. It is designed for use with school-age children and adolescents. The DSM-5 version is a semi-structured clinician interview that assesses a child's trauma history and the full range of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and diagnostic criteria. This measure consists of several portions:
- an assessment of various trauma types (along with detailed information for those endorsed)
- a DSM-5 PTSD symptom scale including dissociative symptoms
- an assessment of distress and impairment
The PTSD-RI has been validated as sensitive to clinical change; use of repeated measures during treatment may aid in clinical decision making.
Scoring and Administration
The symptom portion of the measure provides preliminary diagnostic information for each DSM-5 symptom, including past-month frequency (from "none of the time" to "most of the time"). The full PTSD-RI, including the assessment of trauma history, may be used for case conceptualization at the beginning of treatment. Then the symptom and functioning portions of the PTSD-RI (either self-report or parent/caregiver versions) can be used to repeatedly monitor symptom change during treatment.
Scoring algorithms are included with the PTSD-RI. For the total PTSD symptom scale, a cutoff score of 35 is highly sensitive and specific for detecting a diagnosis of PTSD.
Versions
In addition to the child interview, there is a Parent/Caregiver interview, with both a general version and a version for children aged 6 and under.
A UCLA Brief Screen can be used to conduct an initial screen for trauma and PTSD. If the screen is positive, then the full UCLA PTSD Reaction Index above may be indicated. There is also a more specific UCLA Brief COVID-19 Screen for Child/Adolescent PTSD.
Translations of each instrument are available. Of note, Behavioral Health Innovations has made a Ukrainian translation of the UCLA Brief Screen for Trauma and PTSD available free of charge to support behavioral health services for children, adolescents and their families severely traumatized by the war in Ukraine.
Additional Resources
The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress offers a training video
for administration and scoring of the UCLA Child/Adolescent PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5. For questions about training, contact: www.hathaway-sycamores.org/.
References
Kaplow, J. B., Rolon-Arroyo, B., Layne, C. M., Oosterhoff, B., Hill, R., Steinberg, A. M., & Pynoos, R. S. (2020). Validation of the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5: A developmentally informed assessment tool for trauma-exposed youth. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(1), 186-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2018.10.019
Rolon-Arroyo, B., Oosterhoff, B., Layne, C. M., Steinberg, A. M., Pynoos, R. S., & Kaplow, J. B. (2020). The UCLA PTSD Reaction Index for DSM-5 Brief Form: A screening tool for trauma-exposed youths. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(3) 434-443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.06.015
Steinberg, A. M., Layne, C. M., Briggs, E. C., Liang, L., Brymer, M. J., Belin, T. R., Fairbank, J. A., & Pynoos, R. S. (2019). Benefits of treatment completion over premature termination: Findings from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 82(2):113-127. https://doi.org/10.1080/00332747.2018.1560584
Steinberg, A. M., Brymer, M., Decker, K., & Pynoos, R. S. (2004). The University of California at Los Angeles Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index. Current Psychiatry Reports, 6: 96-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-004-0048-2
Steinberg, A. M., Brymer, M. J., Kim, S., Ghosh, C., Ostrowski, S. A., Gulley, K., Briggs, E. C., & Pynoos, R. S. (2013). Psychometric properties of the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index: Part I. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26(1): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.21780
Elhai, J. D., Layne, C. M., Steinberg, A. S., Vrymer, M. J., Briggs, E. C., Ostrowski, S. A., & Pynoos, R. S. (2013). Psychometric properties of the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index. Part 2: Investigating factor structure findings in a national clinic-referred youth sample. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26(1): 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.21755
To Obtain Scale
Behavioral Health Innovations requires a licensing agreement for the use of the scale.
- For questions, see the UCLA-RI FAQ page or email: info@reactionindex.com or asteinberg@reactionindex.com
- For licensing, go to: www.reactionindex.com.
- To access the UCLA Brief Screen in Ukrainian, go to: www.reactionindex.com.
Measure availability: We provide information on a variety of measures assessing trauma and PTSD. These measures are intended for use by qualified mental health professionals and researchers. Measures authored by National Center staff are available as direct downloads or by request. Measures developed outside of the National Center can be requested via contact information available on the information page for the specific measure.
