Application of Mobile App and Paper Survey of PTSD Checklist in the Elderly Korean Veterans of the Vietnam War

Yeong Min Choe; Suk Hoon Kang; Jin Hee Choi; Hae Gyung Chung; Hyung Seok So; Yu Jin Jang; Jong Won Kim; Tae Yong Kim

doi:10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.2.236

Journal List > J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc > v.54(2) > 1017736

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Choe, Kang, Choi, Chung, So, Jang, Kim, and Kim: Application of Mobile App and Paper Survey of PTSD Checklist in the Elderly Korean Veterans of the Vietnam War

Original Article

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2015; 54(2): 236-244.

Published online: 31 May 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.2.236

Application of Mobile App and Paper Survey of PTSD Checklist in the Elderly Korean Veterans of the Vietnam War

Yeong Min Choe, MD, Suk Hoon Kang, MD, Jin Hee Choi, MD, Hae Gyung Chung, MD, Hyung Seok So, MD, Yu Jin Jang, MD, Jong Won Kim, MD, Tae Yong Kim, MD, PhD

Department of Neuropsychiatry, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Tae Yong Kim, MD, PhD. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, 53 Jinhwangdo-ro 61-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-791, Korea. Tel +82-2-2225-1483, Fax +82-2-477-6190, alkadien@naver.com

Received 3 February 2015 Revised 23 February 2015 Accepted 4 March 2015

Abstract

Objectives

The posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist (PCL) is currently the most popular self-report scale employed in screening PTSD. This study was conducted 1) to test the reliability and validity of PCL in veterans of the Vietnam War and 2) to compare the results when using a conventional paper survey and mobile app survey.

Methods

Participants included 186 Korean veterans of the Vietnam War. Mini Mental Status Examination, PTSD module of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID), and Life Event Checklist were administered. PCL was administered in either written format or mobile app. Diagnostic validity of the PCL was compared using the PTSD module of SCID. Other psychometric properties of PCL were also calculated.

Results

PCL results using different methods, paper and mobile app, showed no significant difference in each item and total score. Cronbach's coefficient of PCL was 0.95, optimal cut-off 49.5, sensitivity 91.7%, and specificity 93.5%.

Conclusion

PCL showed excellent internal reliability, sensitivity, specificity, and validity. There was no statistically significant difference between survey methods. These results suggest that PCL is a reliable self-report scale in veterans. In addition, PCL with mobile app can be helpful in screening PTSD.

Keywords: Posttraumatic stress disorder, Veterans, Mobile app, Screening

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Screen view of PCL app. PCL : Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist.

Fig. 2

The receiver operating characteristic curve comparing the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist scale score against PTSD module of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV.

Fig. 3

Preference and intention of future use of mobile device (mobile group, n=92).

Table 1

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of mobile group and paper group

Mean values (standard deviation) are presented unless otherwise stated. Comparison made by t-test and chi-square test as appropriate

Table 2

Comparison of PCL scores between mobile group and paper group

PCL : Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist

Table 3

Internal reliability analysis of PCL

PCL : Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist

Table 4

Factor loading of principle-components analysis for the PCL

PCL : Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist

Notes

^{Conflicts of Interest} The authors have no financial conflicts of interest

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