Posttraumatische Belastung bei Krebspatienten: Validierung der deutschen Version der Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C)

Objective: Purpose was to evaluate factor structure, symptom clusters and psychometric properties of the German adaptation of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C) in 1594 breast and prostate cancer survivors.

Methods: Factor structure, internal consistency, concurrent and divergent validity were analyzed through measures of posttraumatic stress (IES-R), anxiety and depression (HADS) as well as HRQoL (SF-8).

Results: Three factors were extracted using principal component analysis, which explained 60.5% of the variance. The factors measure numbing and arousal (9 items) (α= 0.88), intrusion (5 items) (α= 0.88) and avoidance (3 items) (α= 0.74). Confirmatory factor analysis suggested good to acceptable fit indexes. Concurrent and divergent validity of the PCL-C was determined.

Conclusion: Findings confirm a three-factor model of the PCL-C, however, symptom clusters suggest avoidance and numbing as two different dimensions, and feelings of numbness and arousal as one dimension. Findings support the use of the PCL-C as a reliable and valid instrument for cancer patients.