NCJ Number
199614
Journal
Journal of Traumatic Stress Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2003 Pages: 133-148
Date Published
April 2003
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews strategies and methods for assessing the experiences and responses of crime victims, with attention to assessments for clinical purposes.
Abstract
In terms of the outcomes of victimization, the paper primarily addresses assessment of the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociation, and traumatic grief, since these are significantly disabling disorders and may be mediators of other responses. Other topics reviewed include reasons to assess experiences and responses of crime victims, issues to consider when conducting assessments for various purposes, considerations in the use of various sources of information about a client, characteristics of measures and of clients that should be taken into account when selecting measures, recommended domains of experiences and symptoms to assess, and suggestions about the process of administering measures and conducting therapeutic assessments. Regarding the latter topics, the paper advises that it is important to conduct a systematic assessment of the most likely psychological responses to criminal victimization. In addition, attention should be given to the major secondary and associated symptoms that are typically seen in traumatized crime victims. When a secondary or associated symptom is prominent, it should also be systematically assessed if a reliable measure is readily available. Clinicians should obtain and have on hand a basic set of measures of crime and trauma experiences, trauma responses, and secondary and associated symptoms. 90 references