ASSESSMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: THE NIGERIAN ADAPTATION OF UCLA PTSD REACTION INDEX

VALENTINE AYO MEBU; BEATRICE AHMADU BAHAGO; ESTHER OMALE VALENTINE

ASSESSMENT OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: THE NIGERIAN ADAPTATION OF UCLA PTSD REACTION INDEX

VALENTINE AYO MEBU, BEATRICE AHMADU BAHAGO, ESTHER OMALE VALENTINE

Abstract

Exposure to conflict is associated with a wide range of negative mental health conditionsuch posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A number of scales measuringPTSD have been developed, including the University of California at Los Angeles Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD). The purpose of this study was to establish the psychometric properties of an adapted version of the UCLA PTSD in a sample of conflict-affected adolescents in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. 40 adolescents affected by conflict were selected and completed three self-report instruments, namely, the UCLA PTSD, Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom scale interview (PSSI) and the Experience of students affected by armed conflict (ESAAC), on a single occasion. A convergent validity of the UCLA PTSD was very good at .418 when correlated with the scores of PSSI and a very good divergent validity of -.075 when correlated with the scores of ESAAC. The internal consistency of the UCLA PTSD was also very good at .0886. Findings from the study provide evidence to support the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index as an adequate instrument for assessing PTSD symptoms among conflict-affected adolescents in Nigeria.

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