Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI)

Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI-C; TESI-C-Brief Form; TESI-PRF-R; TESI-CRF-R)

  • Assesses a child’s experience of a variety of potential traumatic
    events including current and previous injuries, hospitalizations,
    domestic violence, community violence, disasters, accidents,
    physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
  • Additional questions assess DSM-IV PTSD Criterion A and other additional information about the specifics of the event(s).

Applicable population

  • Children – Ages vary according to version-TESI-C-age 6-18
  • Normative data – Yes
  • Publisher – The National Center for PTSD; Dartmouth Child Trauma Research Group

Administration

  • TESI-C is administered as an interview
  • TESI-PR-R parent report (demonstrated test–retest reliability
    kappas ranging from .50 to .79 (Berent et al., 2008)
  • The TESI-PRR provides a comprehensive analysis of child’s trauma exposure and
    is recommended as the best available option for assessing children’s trauma exposure under 10 (Stover & Berkowitz, 2005)

TESI-CR-F child report form

  • Adminstration time 10-30 min
  • Question format for 24 item version – Yes/No answers plus spaces
  • For example: Has someone ever told you they were going to hurt you really
    badly, or acted like they were going to hurt you really badly?
  • Followed by: When this happened, were you really hurt? Was someone else
    really hurt or even killed?

Developer

Ford et al (2002) Veteran affairs National Centre for PTSD.  The TESI-C/ TESI-C-Brief Form is downloadable at: The National Centre for PTSD http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/pages/assessments/tesi.asp

References

Berent, R., Crusto, C. A., Lotyczewski, B. S., Greenberg, S. R., Hightower, A. D., & Kaufman, J. S. (2008). Development and psychometric refinement of a measure assessing young children’s exposure to violence. Best Practices in Mental Health, 4(1), 19-30.

Ford, J. (2002). Traumatic Events Screening Inventory–Parent Report Revised (TESI). Unpublished manuscript. Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut.

Ford, J., Racusin, R., Rogers, K., Ellis, C., Schiffman, J., Ribbe, D., & Edwards, J. (2002). Traumatic Events Screening Inventory for Children (TESI-C) Version 8.4. National Center for PTSD and Dartmouth Child Psychiatry Research Group, Dartmouth VT.

Ghosh-Ippen, C., Ford, J., Racusin, R., Acker, M., Bosquet, K., Rogers, C., & Edwards, J. (2002). Trauma events screening inventory-parent report revised. San Francisco: The Child Trauma Research Project of the Early Trauma Network and The National Center for PTSD Dartmouth Child Trauma Research Group.

Stover, C. S., & Berkowitz, S. (2005). Assessing violence exposure and trauma symptoms in young children: A critical review of measures. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(6), 707-717.

Strand, V. C., Sarmiento, T. L., & Pasquale, L. E. (2005). Assessment and screening tools for trauma in children and adolescents: A review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 6(1), 55-78.

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