One advantage of the SPRINT PTSD scale is its partial independence from contemporary (and also therefore “temporary”) diagnostic criteria. This means that the SPRINT PTSD scale should continue to be a useful measure regardless of the minor or major alterations in DSM criteria, assuming of course that the essential nature of how PTSD is conceptualized remains largely intact. At the same time, as noted above, the scale embraces other important constructs relevant to the person’s
experience of PTSD.
A second advantage is that relative to the standard Clinician
Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) PTSD interview, we have found the
time taken to administer the SPRINT PTSD scale is considerably shorter than the CAPS – 8.9 minutes vs. 19.2 minutes, and that the scales correlate at a significant level of r = 0.73 (p< 0.003) (n=20). We also noted that the scales correlate significantly for each of the main PTSD symptom clusters B, C and D using the DSM-IV criteria. Therefore, the SPRINT appears to perform comparably to a standard interview for PTSD.
A third advantage of the SPRINT scale is the inclusion of two questions that ask for a rating of the impact of treatment in situations where the subject is undergoing treatment or if the SPRINT is being used to measure change from pre- to post-treatment.
Fourthly, the SPRINT can be used as a self-rated instrument (see
below), known as the Short PTSD Rating Instrument-SR (SPRINT-SR).
The SPRINT-SR enjoys some of the same advantages over comparative
measures that are described above.
Additional information about the SPRINT can be found at the National Center for Biotechnology Information site.
To learn more about the PTSD SPRINT scale, navigate to the following pages on the site:
- SPRINT OBS and SPRINT-SR
- Administration and Scoring of the SPRINT Interview-rated Version
- SPRINT Psychometrics
- SPRINT and Diagnostic Screening
- Changes in SPRINT Score During Treatment
- Translations
- Bibliography
Requests to obtain the SPRINT can be sent to mail@cd-risc.com.
To learn more about post-traumatic stress, visit the NIMH page on the topic.