Assessment of functional impairment related to post-traumatic stress in children and adolescents: a systematic review
AI Summary
Current instruments lack standardisation and do not comprehensively or consistently capture PTSS-related functional impairment in children and adolescents.
Identified measures comprised 13 PTSS-specific instruments, one diagnostic interview module, and one generic functional impairment measure covering 11 life domains.
Scoring methods varied substantially, with about half using dichotomous formats and psychometric properties reported in only 20.7% of publications.
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often impairs children’s and adolescents’ functioning across different life domains. Significant functional impairment is a diagnostic criterion for PTSD in both the DSM-5 and the ICD-11, but the methods in terms of domains covered and scoring rules to assess functional impairments are quite inconsistent.Objective: This systematic review evaluates instruments specifically designed to assess post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), PTSS modules within diagnostic interviews, and generic functional impairment measures used to capture PTSS-related functional impairment in children and adolescents.Method: A systematic search was conducted across six databases for studies published between January 2010 and November 2025. Eligible papers included the development or psychometric evaluation of PTSS-specific measures, PTSS modules in diagnostic interview, and generic functional impairment measures validated in samples exposed to trauma or adverse childhood experiences. Data were extracted and categorized based on assessed content domains, scoring methods, and psychometric properties, with results stratified by age group (6 years and younger versus 7 years and older).Results: From 3519 records, 30 papers met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen PTSS-specific instruments, one diagnostic interview module, and one generic functional impairment measure were identified. Together, these instruments assessed 11 different life domains, although considerable variation existed in the domains covered across tools. Scoring methods also varied, with approximately half using dichotomous response formats and the remainder using multi-categorical scales. Psychometric properties of the functional impairment scales were reported in only 20.7% of publications.Conclusion: Current tools for assessing PTSS-related functional impairment in youth lack standardization. There is a critical need for well-validated instruments that comprehensively capture the presence and severity of PTSS-related functional impairment.
Geriatr Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil. 2026 Jun 1;24(2):177-186. doi: 10.1684/pnv.2026.1288.ABSTRACTElder abuse affects approximately 15% of adults aged 60 years and older worldwide each year, most often...
Violence Against Women. 2026 Jul 7:10778012261465657. doi: 10.1177/10778012261465657. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThis study examines intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among second-generation immigrant women in Australia...
Violence Against Women. 2026 Jul 7:10778012261461588. doi: 10.1177/10778012261461588. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThis study examines attitudes toward disclosing sexual violence and confronting unwanted sexual contact as...
Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2026 Dec;17(1):2685932. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2026.2685932. Epub 2026 Jul 7.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: On 6 February 2023, the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes created a severe crisis, underscoring the essential...
JMIR Form Res. 2026 Jul 7;10:e85526. doi: 10.2196/85526.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Depression in late life is often compounded by social isolation and barriers to care. There is limited...
