A Preliminary Analysis of the Checklist of Indicators of Trauma and Dissociation in Youth

Abstract
The Checklist of Indicators of Trauma and Dissociation in Youth (CIT-DY) is a measure assessing a young person’s trauma history and dissociative symptoms as reported by the youth and/or caregiver. A preliminary assessment of the psychometric properties of the CIT-DY was conducted using a pilot sample of youth (n = 23; Mean age = 14.65 years, SD = 1.90) admitted to an acute inpatient mental health unit. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were also assessed. Low correlations were found between a youth’s self-report and their caregiver’s report of the same symptoms. All participants reported histories of directly experienced and/or witnessed traumatic events. The self-report and caregiver-report versions of the CIT-DY both had excellent internal consistency, strong convergent validity with measures of trauma and dissociation completed by the same respondent, and appropriate discriminant validity. Item-level analyses suggested the need to revise or omit select CIT-DY items. Implications for the clinical utility of the CIT-DY are discussed.