Estudo da Estrutura Fatorial da versão em português do instrumento "Post­ Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C)"

Abstract

Sínce DSM-111, Post traumatic Stress Dísorder (PTSD) arouses like a new diagnoses entity in the anxiety disorders category. Opposed to other psychiatric disorders, PTSD has defined etíology: exposure to traumatic event. Consequently to this event, the individual develops three symptom clusters: reexperiencing, avoidance/ emotional numbing and arousal. lnitially, PTSD was thought to be restricted to war situations. Recent studies show that this disorder is more prevalent than previously imagined. Evidence suggests that relatively common events in life may lead to PTSD, like severe medical conditions and traffic accidents. ln Brazil, the prevalence of PTSD is unknown. However, the high rates of events in our country support the hypothesis of a high prevalence. The Post-traumatíc Stress Disorder Checklist - civilían version (PCL-C) is a self administered scale widely used to evaluate symptoms related to non military trauma. lt is the only screening ínstrument with a Portuguese version. Despite the semantic equívalence, the other steps in transcultural adaptation were not conducted. The literatura review does not ídentify a consistent pattern of factor solutions. lt varies from 3 to 4 factors. The present study aims to complement the validation process of the brazilian portuguese version of PCL-C. lt examined the construct validity (factor analysis) and the reliability of the instrument (internai consistency of dimensions). An exploratory factor analysis was conducted in 230 ambulance workers of the Group of Emergency Rescue (GSE) of the Rio de Janeiro city and 343 police officers (150 of an elite unit).The results revealed a 2 factors solution that explaíned about 51% of the variance. They were: reexperience/ avoidance, numbing/arousal. AH variables loaded highly in at least one factor, except by variable 16. This item may have had a bad performance because the analysis was developed based on a sample of políce officers, whose professional activity demands hypervigilance as one of its basic characteristics. Internai consistence values were acceptable. Thus, avoidance and numbing seem to be independent dimensions, differently trom what was expected according to DSM-IV. The 2 factors solutíon is supported by severa! studies whích propose that there are two neurobiological mechanisms involving PTSD syrnptoms: one leads to avoidance and reexperiencing symptoms and the other leads to numbing and hyperarousal syrnptoms. lt should be highlighted that these results emerged from a sample of police officers and rescue workers, mainly composed of men. Therefore, new researches are important ín other populations, víctíms of different kinds of trauma, to ensure results.