Psychometric properties of an ecological momentary assessment measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Abstract

Objective: Daily variation in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is obscured by traditional retrospective measures. The availability of a psychometrically valid ecological momentary assessment measure can facilitate understanding of how PTSD symptoms vary in real time and in naturalistic settings, increasing the possibility of just-in-time interventions. Accordingly, the present study examined the psychometric properties of a daily PTSD symptom measure (d-PCL).

Method: Adults with a history of sexual assault with (PTSD+ n = 22) and without PTSD (PTSD- n = 21) completed the d-PCL in the morning, afternoon, and evening for 1 week.

Results: The d-PCL total score distinguished the PTSD+ group from the PTSD- group (p < .05) and demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and test-retest reliability in both groups. The d-PCL total score demonstrated good convergent validity with measures of depression and anxiety (p's < .05). Examination of subscales revealed mixed findings for internal consistency, with only the reexperiencing subscale demonstrating adequate internal consistency at both the within- and between-participant levels in both groups. Evidence for test-retest reliability was likewise mixed, with only the hypervigilance subscale demonstrating acceptable test-retest reliability in both groups.

Conclusions: These findings offer initial psychometric support for the use of the d-PCL total score in ecological momentary assessment research examining daily fluctuations in PTSD symptoms. However, additional research is needed to clarify the parameters of ecological momentary assessment that may increase the psychometric validity of the d-PCL subscales. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).