College student and Amazon's Mechanical TURK (MTURK) samples are regularly utilized in trauma research. Recent literature, however, has criticized these samples for not being generalizable to the general U.S. population. Measurement invariance (MI) using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), is rarely utilized in trauma research, even though the analysis can determine whether groups are invariant across factor structure, factor loadings, item intercepts, and residual error variances on a given measure of PTSD symptom severity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether college student (n = 255) and MTURK (n = 316) samples are invariant on the PCL-5. Model fit indices indicated the 7-factor Hybrid model was the best fitting model, but the 6-factor anhedonia model was the most parsimonious model. Both models demonstrated equivalence in factor structures (configural invariance), factor loadings (metric invariance), intercepts (scalar invariance), and residuals (strict invariance), indicating MTURK and college student samples are similar in regards to PTSD symptom severity. These findings provide evidence that these groups can be combined in future studies to increase sample size for trauma research. Only the Anhedonia factor exhibited mean differences between groups, which may be related to true differences between college students and MTURK survey-takers. Thus, there is further evidence that the findings from trauma studies using these populations are generalizable to each other.

Abstrakt Bakgrund: Posttraumatiskt stressyndrom (PTSD) innebär en förlängd stressreaktion och beteendeförändring hos en person. Riskfaktorer på IVA för utvecklandet av PTSD är bland andra vårdmiljö, läkemedel, lång vårdtid samt mekanisk ventilation. COVID-19 kan orsaka följdsjukdomar, såväl fysiska- som psykiska, vilket också innebär en risk för dessa patienter att utveckla PTSD.  Motiv: Pandemin har inneburit en extrem belastning på intensivvården. Det är känt att patienter som vårdas på IVA löper risk att utveckla PTSD. Förekomst av symtom på PTSD efter allvarlig COVID-19 infektion är ännu relativt outforskat.  Syfte: Syftet med studien var att kartlägga förekomst av symtom på PTSD efter allvarlig COVID-19 infektion som krävt intensivvård.  Metod: Föreliggande studie har tagit del av data från SWECRIT COVID-19 studien som baseras på kritiskt svårt sjuka patienter med COVID-19 som intensivvårdats i Region Skåne. Kvantitativ ansats med en icke experimentell design var lämpligt, eftersom skattningsinstrumentet PCL-5 användes. Urvalet i studien skedde konsekutivt. Totalt deltog 174 patienter i studien. Variabler som kön, ålder, civilstatus, modersmål och utbildningsnivå studerades. Data analyserades i Jamovi (version 1.6.23).  Resultat: Resultatet visade att 16% av patienterna uppnådde tröskelvärdet ≥33 poäng för symptom på PTSD. Patienter med annat modersmål än svenska visade sig skatta högre för symptom på PTSD, sambandet var signifikant (p=0.003). Kvinnor skattade högre för symtom på PTSD än män, men den procentuella fördelningen bland de som uppfyllde tröskelvärdet var lika mellan könen.  Konklusion: Personcentrerad vård och förebyggande arbete kan ha betydelse för förekomst av symtom på PTSD. Att förhindra eventuella språkbarriärer hos patienter med annat modersmål är av vikt. Fortsatta uppföljningsstudier vid 12- och 36-månader kan visa hur förekomsten av PTSD utvecklas över tid. Kompletterande kvalitativ forskning kan nyansera patienters unika upplevelse av intensivvård för COVID-19. / Abstract  Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves a prolonged stress response and behavioral change in a person. Risk factors for the development of PTSD in ICU are care environment, drugs, prolonged care and mechanical ventilation. COVID-19 can cause physical and mental sequelae, which also put these patients at risk for developing PTSD. Motive:  The pandemic has put an extreme strain on intensive care. It is known that patients in ICU are at risk of developing PTSD. The incidence of PTSD symptoms after severe COVID-19 infection is still relatively unexplored. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the occurrence of symptoms of PTSD after severe COVID-19 infection that required intensive care. Method: The present study has taken part of data from the SWECRIT COVID-19 study, which is based on critically ill patients with COVID-19 who received intensive care in Skåne, Sweden. Quantitative approach with a non-experimental design was appropriate since the instrument PCL-5 was used. The selection of patients was made consecutively. A total of 174 patients participated in the study. Variables such as gender, age, marital status, language and level of education were studied. Data were analyzed in Jamovi (version 1.6.23). Result: The results showed that 16% of the patients reached the threshold ≥33 points for symptoms of PTSD. Patients with other languages than Swedish were found to rate higher for symptoms of PTSD, the association was significant (p = 0.003). Women rated higher for symptoms of PTSD than men, but the distribution of percentage among those who met the threshold was equal between the genders.  Conclusion: Person-centered care and preventive work can be important for the prevalence of symptoms of PTSD. Preventing language barriers are important. Follow-up studies at 12 and 36 months can show how the prevalence of PTSD develops over time. Complementary qualitative research can nuance patients' unique experience of intensive care for COVID-19.

This thesis focuses on the initial validation of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in its Czech version. It is a self-report method that measures symptoms accompanying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The theoretical part of the thesis describes the development of the diagnosis of PTSD over time and its current criteria. It also presents a list of diagnostic tools for measuring PTSD, including the PCL-5 and its psychometric properties. The research part of the thesis describes the process of data collection and processing, the results of the hypotheses and discussion. The research sample consisted of 444 respondents (370 women; 74 men) with a mean age of 32,6 years (SD = 10,6). The mean PCL-5 score was 29,3 (SD = 19,9). When comparing the scores of women (M = 30,2; SD = 20) and men (M = 24,7; SD = 18,8), a statistically significant difference was observed (p = 0,029). When comparing respondents who were psychiatric patients (PP; M = 39,5; SD = 20) and those who were not (M = 21,7; SD = 16,6), a significant difference (p < 0,001) was also observed. In case of comparison of respondents by gender who were not PP, no statistically significant difference was confirmed. Cronbach's alpha for the whole questionnaire came out high: 0,955 (for clusters ranging from 0,831-0,908), which is consistent...

Contexte théorique : Au Canada, la prévalence du trouble de stress post-traumatique (TSPT) serait de 9,2%. Plusieurs questionnaires ont été développés pour mesurer les symptômes du TSPT dont le PTSD Checklist For DSM-5 (PCL-5). Ce questionnaire autorapporté a été validé à plusieurs reprises avec des échantillons non-cliniques ou militaires. Toutefois, le PCL-5 n’a jamais été validé avec un échantillon clinique et civil. Aussi, le nombre idéal de facteur du PCL-5 reste toujours à être démontré. Objectif : Cette étude vise à établir la validité de construit du PCL-5 d’un échantillon clinique et civil de 132 participants aux prises avec un TSPT. Les 3 principales structures factorielles seront analysées de façon à retenir celle qui présente les meilleurs résultats. Méthodologie : Les structures factorielles ont été mesurées avec des analyses factorielles confirmatoires et des analyses bifactorielles. La consistance interne a été mesurée à partir du coefficient Oméga de McDonald. La validité convergente et divergente a été mesurée par des corrélations de Pearson avec d’autres construits. Résultats : Au niveau des indices d’ajustement, le modèle à 7 facteurs a obtenu les meilleurs résultats. Sur le plan de la fidélité et sur celui de la validité convergente et divergente, le modèle à 4 facteurs possède les résultats les plus optimaux. Discussion : Globalement, le modèle à 4 facteurs est le plus approprié pour le PCL-5. De plus, les modèles à 6 et 7 facteurs présentent quelques lacunes sur le plan méthodologique et statistique. Finalement, le PCL-5 est un questionnaire valide et fidèle pour une population clinique et civile. / Background: In Canada, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is estimated to be 9.2%. Several questionnaires have been developed to measure the symptoms of PTSD including the PTSD Checklist For DSM-5 (PCL-5). This questionnaire has been validated several times with non-clinical or military samples. However, PCL-5 has never been validated with a clinical and civilian sample. Also, the ideal factor number of PCL-5 has yet to be demonstrated. Objective: This study aims to establish the construct validity of PCL-5 in a clinical and civilian sample of 132 participants with PTSD. The 3 main factor structures will be analyzed in order to retain the one that presents the best results. Methodology: Factor structures were measured with confirmatory factor analyzes and bifactor analyzes. Internal consistency was measured from McDonald's Omega coefficient. Convergent and discriminant validity was measured by Pearson correlations with other constructs. Results: In terms of fit statistics, the 7-factor model obtained the best results. In terms of reliability and convergent and divergent validity, the 4-factor model has the most optimal results. Discussion: Overall, the 4-factor model is the most appropriate for the PCL-5. In addition, the 6 and 7 factor models have some methodological and statistical limitations. Finally, the PCL-5 is a valid and reliable questionnaire for a clinical and civilian population.