Detailed Assessment of Post-Traumatic Stress (DAPS)

The DAPS is a self-report instrument that assesses peri- and posttraumatic symptoms andassociated features related to a specific traumatic event. It provides a detailed assessment of PTSD in a short amount of time.

Features and benefits

• A 104-item measure, the DAPS generates a tentative diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or acute stress disorder in considerably less time than is required for a structured diagnostic interview. This diagnosis can then be confirmed by a clinical interview.
• Assesses both current and lifetime history of DSM-IV-TR™ trauma exposure and the severity and clinical significance of the client’s posttraumatic symptoms, including dissociative, cognitive, and emotional responses.

Test structure

• Includes three PTSD symptom clusters (Reexperiencing, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal) and three associated features of PTSD (Trauma-Specific Dissociation, Suicidality, and Substance Abuse).
• The Professional Manual provides data from the normative sample of trauma-exposed adults from the general population, as well as two validity samples: trauma-exposed adults in a clinical/community sample and a university validity sample.
• Two validity scales identify overreporting and underreporting of psychological symptoms.

Interpretive software available

The DAPS-IR is a comprehensive diagnostic and interpretive system that can be used to administer, score, and generate profiles and interpretive reports for the DAPS.

• The report includes score summary tables, a profile of DAPS T scores, narrative text on the validity of the protocol, detailed information about the individual’s scores on each scale or subscale, profiles, additional scale data (e.g., effortful avoidance vs. numbing avoidance), DSM-IV-TR diagnostic information, and an item response summary table for each scale.

Software requires Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10. Mac users must install Windows using BootCamp or similar. (NB. Virtual Machine solutions such as Parallels are not supported.)