Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener for Adults (STRESS-A): Validation in a child welfare sample of mothers and fathers with active domestic violence.

McGuire, Austen; Beebe, Rebecca; Stover, Carla Smith; Clough, Meghan; DiVietro, Susan; Grasso, Damion J.

doi:10.1037/tra0001029

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…The competing PTSD models (i.e., five, six, and seven factors) could not be interpreted in the current study due to high covariance between latent variables and unstable model fit. These findings suggest symptom overlap between the proposed symptom clusters on the STRESS, which is consistent with a recent study (McGuire et al, 2021) also finding uninterpretable models when fitting these models to the STRESS-A (adult version). However, this does not preclude alternative models from being investigated in other samples of justice-involved adolescents.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (STRESS): Assessing factor structure and clinical utility in a juvenile justice sample.

Weinberger¹,

Cruise²,

Auguste³

et al. 2023

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Objective: High prevalence of traumatic event exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among justice-involved adolescents has necessitated the use of trauma screening in juvenile justice settings. The present study explored the psychometric properties, factor structure, and construct validity of a trauma screen, the Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (STRESS), in a detained adolescent sample. Prior to the current study, psychometric characteristics of the STRESS were evaluated only in a child welfare sample (Grasso et al., 2015). Method: The sample consisted of 132 adolescents in secure detention facilities in a southeastern state. Participants were included in the study if they engaged in the mental health screening process at intake and a follow-up assessment process with facility staff psychologists. Data consisted of de-identified, archival records. Results: The STRESS total symptom and 4 criterion symptom count scores demonstrated high internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the STRESS had excellent fit with the DSM-5 four-factor PTSD model. Equally strong evidence was found for a higher order PTSD model, thus reinforcing the use of both STRESS PTSD total and criterion symptom count scores with justice-involved adolescents. Additionally, preliminary evidence of convergent and discriminant validity was supported. Conclusions: Findings support the STRESS as a reliable and valid trauma screen for use with detained adolescents. Results suggest that both STRESS total symptom and criterion symptom count scores have clinical utility for intake-level mental health decisions in juvenile detention settings. Implications for expanding use of the STRESS to inform appropriate interventions for justice-involved adolescents are discussed. Clinical Impact StatementThis is the first known study to investigate the psychometric properties, factor structure, and construct validity of the STRESS in a juvenile justice sample of detained adolescents. Screening for trauma symptoms has become standard practice in the juvenile justice system. However, no one widely accepted, empirically supported tool exists. Establishing psychometric characteristics is critical to increase confidence in the screening process and to provide recommendations for how a screen can be used to appropriately identify adolescents in need of services. The present findings suggest that the STRESS has clinical utility for intake-level mental health decisions in secure juvenile detention settings.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (STRESS): Assessing factor structure and clinical utility in a juvenile justice sample.

Weinberger¹,

Cruise²,

Auguste³

et al. 2023

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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show abstract

“…Lifetime trauma history and DSM-5 PTSD symptoms were assessed via self-report with the Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener for Adults (STRESS-A) [ 8 , 48 ]. Part I assessed lifetime exposure to 29 PTSD qualifying traumatic events.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative stress, PTSD, and emotion dysregulation during pregnancy and epigenetic age acceleration in Hispanic mothers and their newborn infants

et al. 2023

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Pregnancy can exacerbate or prompt the onset of stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is associated with heightened stress responsivity and emotional dysregulation, as well as increased risk of chronic disorders and mortality. Further, maternal PTSD is associated with gestational epigenetic age acceleration in newborns, implicating the prenatal period as a developmental time period for the transmission of effects across generations. Here, we evaluated the associations between PTSD symptoms, maternal epigenetic age acceleration, and infant gestational epigenetic age acceleration in 89 maternal-neonatal dyads. Trauma-related experiences and PTSD symptoms in mothers were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy. The MethylationEPIC array was used to generate DNA methylation data from maternal and neonatal saliva samples collected within 24 h of infant birth. Maternal epigenetic age acceleration was calculated using Horvath’s multi-tissue clock, PhenoAge and GrimAge. Gestational epigenetic age was estimated using the Haftorn clock. Maternal cumulative past-year stress (GrimAge: p = 3.23e-04, PhenoAge: p = 9.92e-03), PTSD symptoms (GrimAge: p = 0.019), and difficulties in emotion regulation (GrimAge: p = 0.028) were associated with accelerated epigenetic age in mothers. Maternal PTSD symptoms were associated with lower gestational epigenetic age acceleration in neonates ( p = 0.032). Overall, our results suggest that maternal cumulative past-year stress exposure and trauma-related symptoms may increase the risk for age-related problems in mothers and developmental problems in their newborns.

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Associations between trauma exposure and irritability within the family unit: a network approach

Cotter,

Morreale,

Valdegas

et al. 2024

Child Psychology Psychiatry

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BackgroundPediatric irritability is a pervasive psychiatric symptom, yet its etiology remains elusive. While trauma exposure may contribute to the development of irritability, empirical research is limited. This study examined the prevalence of irritability among trauma‐exposed children, identified factors that differentiate trauma‐exposed children with and without irritability, and employed a network analysis to uncover associations between irritability and trauma exposure in the family unit.MethodsSample included 676 children (56.3% male, mean age = 9.67 ± 3.7 years) and their parents referred by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families to Fathers for Change – a psychotherapy intervention designed to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment. Child's trauma exposure, post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and irritability were assessed pre‐intervention using self‐ and caregiver‐report. Parents self‐reported their childhood and adulthood trauma exposures, PTSD symptoms, irritability, psychopathology, and IPV.ResultsAcross caregiver‐ and child‐reports, 16%–17% of children exhibited irritability. Irritable children experienced greater trauma exposure, interpersonal violence, emotional abuse, and PTSD severity. They had caregivers, particularly mothers, with greater trauma histories, IPV, and psychopathology. Network analysis revealed 10 nodes directly correlated to child's irritability including child's PTSD severity, parental IPV (specifically psychological violence), and parental psychopathology.ConclusionsResults provide initial empirical evidence that pediatric irritability is linked to trauma exposure, suggesting trauma histories be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of irritability. Interventions addressing caregiver trauma, IPV, and psychopathology may ameliorate pediatric irritability. Future studies could benefit from adopting network approaches with longitudinal or time series data to elucidate causality and points of intervention.

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Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener for Adults (STRESS-A): Validation in a child welfare sample of mothers and fathers with active domestic violence.

Cited by 3 publications

References 41 publications

The Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (STRESS): Assessing factor structure and clinical utility in a juvenile justice sample.

The Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener (STRESS): Assessing factor structure and clinical utility in a juvenile justice sample.

Cumulative stress, PTSD, and emotion dysregulation during pregnancy and epigenetic age acceleration in Hispanic mothers and their newborn infants

Associations between trauma exposure and irritability within the family unit: a network approach

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