Aaron Kim

Feasibility of a mobile-based PTSD risk screening tool in adolescents at a rehabilitation facility following serious injury

Started Nov. 8, 2023

Abstract or project description

Exposure to traumatic events is common during childhood (Merrick et. al, 2019) and can lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Screening for PTSD is recommended because of its high prevalence, yet only twenty-eight percent of trauma centers in the U.S. routinely screen for PTSD (Bulger et. al, 2022). This disparity is due to barriers that medical professionals face for in-person screening including patient/provider discomfort, a lack of resources, language barriers, and a lack of suitable interventions. In this study, we will test the feasibility and validity of a mobile screening device used to address these barriers in a sample of adolescents undergoing in-patient physical rehabilitation following a serious injury. We hypothesize that a mobile-screening tool assessing PTSD risk would successfully detect PTSD symptoms and that both patients and practitioners would find this mobile screening tool preferable to traditional screening measures. If this mobile screening tool is found to be feasible and valid, a randomized control trial can be conducted comparing its effectiveness compared to in-person screenings as well as its impact on PTSD outcomes.