Validation of the purdue post‐traumatic stress scale on a sample of Vietnam veterans

The Purdue Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder Scale is a 15‐item self‐report instrument based on the DSM‐III diagnostic criteria for post‐traumatic stress disorder. This scale is a quick easily administered, measure of psychological reactions to a traumatic event. The goal of the present report is to validate this instrument for use as a measure of long‐lasting combat stress reactions of American Vietnam veterans. The PPS demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency with a Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0.94. The PPS demonstrated construct validity through significant correlations with other self‐report measures of combat experience and residual psychological distress, and through a factor analysis yielding three factors, labeled as arousal, avoidance, and the global perception of distress. Results support further use of the Purdue Post‐traumatic Stress Scale as a research instrument for assessing the long‐term impact of a traumatic event.