Enhancing A Social Work Student's Experience With Standardized Diagnostic Instruments: Comparative Administration Of The CAPS, SCID, And PCL-M To Assess PTSD
Abstract
Multiple assessment tools measure PTSD. Participants used the PCL-M, or the SCID. I used the CAPS to supplement these assessments. None of these is usually taught to graduate social work students despite requirement changes from the NASW and the CSWE (2010, 2012). I had two aims. The first was to train me in psychometric assessment tools, specifically the CAPS. The second aim was to determine whether participants received a positive diagnosis of PTSD from one measure but not the CAPS, or vice versa. I learned to confidently give clinical assessments to participants from various demographic backgrounds. Findings in this study determined that participants often received a diagnosis PTSD through the PCL-M or the SCID but did not meet full criteria by the CAPS; they met the criteria for subthreshold PTSD. While these findings are provocative, further study will be needed to determine whether these results could be generalizable.