This study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, concurrent validity, and discriminative validity of the Impact of Event Scale -Revised (IES-R, Weiss & Marmar, 1997) in a sample of 182 individuals who had experienced a serious motor vehicle accident. Results supported the three-factor structure of the IES-R, Intrusion, Avoidance, and Hyperarousal, with adequate internal consistency noted for each subscale. Support was obtained for the concurrent and discriminative validity, as well as the absence of social desirability effects. Although some differences were noted between the IES-R Avoidance subscale and diagnostically-based measures of this cluster of symptoms, these differences do not necessarily signify measurement problems with the IES-R. The IES-R seems to be a solid measure of post-trauma phenomena that can augment related assessment approaches in clinical and research settings.

This study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and discriminative validity of the Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI; E. B. Foa, A. Ehlers, D. M. Clark, D. F. Tolin, & S. M. Orsillo, 1999) in a sample of 112 individuals who had experienced a serious motor vehicle accident. Results generally supported the 3-factor structure of the PTCI: (a) Negative Cognitions About Self, (b) Negative Cognitions About the World, and (c) Self-Blame. Subscales reflecting negative thoughts of the self and world showed adequate internal consistency, as well as good concurrent, discriminant, and discriminative validity. However, difficulties with the subscale representing self-blame emerged, specifically poor concurrent and discriminant validity. Potential reasons for this finding are discussed. The PTCI seems to be a promising measure of negative and dysfunctional posttrauma cognitions, which deserves continuing attention.Current accounts of posttrauma recovery place considerable emphasis on the role of negative and dysfunctional cognitions in the etiology and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, Foa and colleagues (Foa & Riggs, 1993;Foa & Rothbaum, 1998) have theorized that specific thoughts about the dangerousness of the world and one's own incompetence mediate the development of PTSD in the aftermath of sexual assault in women. Likewise, Ehlers and Clark (2000) emphasized the importance of negative appraisals of the traumatic event and one's reactions during the event as salient in PTSD. According to these authors, these negative appraisals help to create a sense of threat, which perpetuates PTSD symptomatology and heightens anxiety. Similar accounts have been presented by Resick and Schnicke (1993) and McCann and Pearlman (1990), indicating some convergence across writers concerning the importance of specific types of dysfunctional thoughts in PTSD, particularly thoughts about one's perceived weaknesses and the dangerousness of the world.Despite apparent agreement about the importance of dysfunctional thoughts in the origins and maintenance of PTSD, measurement of this domain has lagged behind other forms of assessment. As reviewed by Norris and Riad (1997), the field has concentrated in large part

This study addressed the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), relative to minimal contact control (MCC), in a sample of 85 older adults (age 60 years and over) with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). All participants completed measures of primary outcome (worry and anxiety), coexistent symptoms (depressive symptoms and specific fears), and quality of life. Results of both completer and intent-to-treat analyses revealed significant improvement in worry, anxiety, depression, and quality of life following CBT relative to MCC. Forty-five percent of patients in CBT were classified as responders, relative to 8% in MCC. Most gains for patients in CBT were maintained or enhanced over 1-year follow-up. However, posttreatment scores for patients in CBT failed to indicate return to normative functioning.

The assessment of worry among older adults typically has involved measures designed with younger cohorts. Because of special concerns in assessing older adults, modifications to existing instruments may be necessary. Addressing equivocal factor analytic data on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) among younger adults, the authors conducted confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the generalizability of previous models to older adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Data fit poorly with established single- and two-factor models. The single-factor model was modified, resulting in the elimination of 8 items, strong fit indices, high internal consistency, adequate test-retest reliability, and good convergent and divergent validity. Further psychometric work is required to assess whether the revised model is a more parsimonious method to assess late-life anxiety.

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