Research

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Measurement Instruments for Emotional States 
and Traumatic Stress

In the interests of promoting standardised data collection by TFT practitioners the ATFT Foundation Board has decided to make available two assessment instruments. The two self-report measures are:

1. The DASS (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale), and
2. The Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R). Scale

The DASS

This is a 42-item instrument developed by the Department of Psychology at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). There is also a 21-item short form. It has good reliability and validity and is being used extensively by psychologists in Australia. There is an English version and an American version. A significant advantage is that the test is in the public domain. The other prominent tests measuring similar dispositions require
a fee per administration (eg. Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory).

We have provided, above, a link to the DASS website of the UNSW so you can download the version relevant to your setting and the scoring template. You may also order the manual from this site. In addition there is a good deal of additional information about the instrument available (eg. Q & A) from that link.

Also provided, above, is a link to Swinburne University of Technology Professor Grant Devilly’s “Victims’ Web” site
from where more information about the DASS is available – importantly including norms.

The IES-R

This is a 22-item updated version of the original 15 item test 
for the measurement of traumatic stress. The original had been developed by Dr. Mardi Horowitz in 1979 prior to DSM-III which first specified PTSD in 1980. The original test tapped the symptom clusters of intrusion and avoidance. The revised test adds items to tap the third important symptom cluster for PTSD - hyperarousal.

We provide, above, two links related to the IES-R. One is a downloadable version of the actual test ready for administration. The other is a link, again, to Professor Devilly’s “Victims’ Web” site containing information on the IES-R including scoring information.

If you require any further information about these items please email