Factor structure of the Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale among children and adolescents who survived the 2008 Sichuan earthquake in China

Abstract

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES) and its applicability among Chinese children and adolescents, a study was conducted on two samples, the first, 1 month after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the second, 7 months after the earthquake. High levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms were found among both groups of children. The results also showed a decline of intrusion and arousal symptoms in accordance with the different periods of time elapsed since the earthquake; however, no difference was found in the avoidance symptoms between the two samples. Both the subscales and the CRIES total showed moderate to good reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of CRIES supported the presumed three inter-correlated factors model. However, the results of the second sample (with more than 6 months elapsed subsequent to the earthquake) are more likely to support this model than those of the first sample. This study generally justifies the use of CRIES as a screening instrument for probable PTSD victims among children and adolescents exposed to horrible natural disasters in China. Limitations of the present study and directions for future research are also discussed.

Psychometric Properties of the Child’s Reaction to Traumatic Events Scale-Revised in English and Lugandan

“…A three-factor model is consistent with previous research that has examined the factor structure of the CRIES and IES-R (Asukai et al 2002; Giannopoulou et al 2006; Lau et al 2013; Zhang et al 2011); however, the items that loaded on each of the factors in the current study were not consistent with previous research. For example, several of the items similar to those that Giannopoulou et al found to assess hyperarousal, loaded on the intrusion factor in our analyses.…”

“…Data from the CRIES has indicated a three-factor solution (i.e., avoidance, intrusion and arousal; Giannopoulou et al 2006; Lau et al 2013; Zhang et al 2011) or a two-factor solution (i.e., avoidance, and intrusion + arousal; Chen et al 2012). Studies using the IES-R in adults have identified two (Creamer et al 2003; Smith et al 2003), three (Asukai et al 2002), and four factor solutions (Baumert et al 2004; Gargurevich et al 2009; King et al 2009).…”

Psychometric properties of the Children’s Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES) with Bangladeshi children and adolescents

“…Internal consistencies range from .75 to .87 for the total CRIES-13, .75–.84 for the total CRIES-8 and for the three subscales; Intrusion: .70–.90; Avoidance: .62–.82 and Arousal .60–.74 (Dyregrov, Kuterovac & Barath, 1996; Giannopoulou et al, 2006a; Lau et al, 2013; Smith et al, 2003; van der Kooij et al, 2013; Yule, Bruggencate & Joseph, 1994; Zhang et al, 2011). Test retest reliability up to 7-day is good for the total CRIES-13 ( r ′ s = .76–.85) (Panter-Brick et al, 2011; Verlinden et al, 2014), and r = .75 for CRIES-8 (Verlinden et al, 2014).…”

“…The factor structure of the CRIES-13 across several studies has been slightly inconsistent, variously showing a two-factor structure (intrusion and arousal vs avoidance) (Chen et al, 2012), three distinct but inter-correlated factors (intrusion, arousal and avoidance) (Zhang et al, 2011), and a three-factor structure loading onto a single higher order factor (intrusion, arousal, and avoidance loaded onto PTSD) (Giannopoulou et al, 2006b). Nonetheless, psychometric properties (for instance, reliability and validity, please see method for detail) for both the CRIES-8 and CRIES-13 have been solid.…”

Understanding the Impact of Trauma Exposure on Posttraumatic Stress Symptomatology: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…The Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13) (Smith, Perrin, Dyregrov, & Yule, 2003;Zhang, Zhang, Wu, Zhu, & Dyregrov, 2011) was used to investigate children's posttraumatic stress symptomatology. The scale consisted of four intrusion items, four avoidance items, and five arousal items.…”