A confirmatory factor analysis of the Acute Stress Disorder Interview

Published in Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2008; 21 (3):352-355 at www.interscience.wiley.com Copyright © 2008 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.Acute stress disorder (ASD) was introduced in 1994 to describe posttraumatic stress reactions that occur in the initial month after trauma exposure. Although it comprises the distinct symptom clusters of dissociation, reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal, there have been no confirmatory factor analyses of the construct. In this study, 587 individuals admitted to five major hospitals after traumatic injury were administered the Acute Stress Disorder Interview. Forty-four participants met criteria for ASD. Confirmatory factor analysis based on the four symptom clusters described the Acute Stress Disorder Interview responses. These data provide the first confirmatory factor analysis of the ASD symptoms, and are discussed in terms of the 4-factor models repeatedly found in samples of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder.Robert Brooks and Derrick Silove; Richard Bryant; Meaghan O’Donnell and Mark Creamer; Alexander McFarlan