Disclosure Expectancy Scale – Civilian Version (DExS)
Measures trauma survivors' expectations regarding the potential risks and benefits of disclosing their traumatic experiences.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Disclosure Expectancy Scale – Civilian Version (DExS) was developed by Joshua D. Clapp, Matt J. Gray, Brett T. Litz, Ariel J. Lang, & Alexandria F. Sowers (2023). It is designed to measure Trauma Disclosure Expectancies. The scale is intended for use with Trauma-exposed adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 33 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Negative expectations, Positive expectations.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Negative expectations | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 | 18 |
| Positive expectations | 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33 | 15 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Extremely unlikely, 2 = Very unlikely, 3 = Moderately likely, 4 = Very likely, 5 = Extremely likely.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 10 to 50. Interpretation guidelines:
- Subscale Score Range (Mean of subscale items multiplied by 10): 10 – 50
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Positive expectations: omega = .94; Negative expectations: omega = .93.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.