Supporting children through traumatic experiences is a demanding role that can significantly impact carers. Recognizing and addressing carer stress is crucial for both the well-being of the carer and the quality of care provided to the child. This guide provides an overview of essential assessment tools that, while primarily designed for evaluating child trauma and related needs, indirectly serve as valuable resources for understanding and managing carer stress in professionals and parents alike. By effectively utilizing these tools to assess and support children, carers can gain a clearer understanding of the challenges and needs, which in turn can inform strategies to mitigate their own stress.
Tools for Evaluating Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Children
Understanding the traumatic stress symptoms in children is the first step in providing appropriate support. This section highlights key tools designed to assess these symptoms, which can be instrumental for carers in navigating the complexities of child trauma and, consequently, their own stress responses.
Acute Stress Checklist for Children (ASC-Kids) (S) (A)
The Acute Stress Checklist for Children (ASC-Kids) is a versatile tool designed to evaluate acute stress reactions in children and teenagers. Available in a 29-item self-report checklist format, as well as briefer 3- or 6-item screening versions, the ASC-Kids offers flexibility for different assessment needs.
Purpose & Description: To evaluate acute stress reactions in children and teens. It is available in various lengths to suit different screening and assessment contexts.
Language: English, Spanish
Who can administer: Any healthcare team member. Children can complete it as a self-report.
Time to administer: 1-2 minutes (brief screen versions); 5-10 minutes (full version)
References: Kassam-Adams, 2006; Kassam-Adams et al., 2013; Kassam-Adams et al., 2016
Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire (CTSQ) (S)
The Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire (CTSQ) is a brief, 10-item screening tool designed to identify recently injured children who are at a higher risk of developing PTSD. Early identification is key to effective intervention and can indirectly alleviate carer stress by providing a structured approach to recognizing potential issues early on.
Purpose & Description: A 10-item screening tool to help identify recently injured children at higher risk for later PTSD.
Language: English
Who can administer: Any member of the healthcare team. Children can complete it as self-report.
Time to administer: 2-3 minutes
References: Kenardy et al., 2006.
Child-Trauma-Screening-Questionnaire-information.pdf (120.61 KB)
For more information on the CTSQ, contact: Justin Kenardy, University of Queensland.
Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) (S)
The Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) is a 19-item self-report checklist used to evaluate acute stress reactions in adults and older teenagers. While designed for older populations, understanding the ASDS can help carers recognize similar patterns of stress in themselves and older adolescents they support.
Purpose & Description: To evaluate acute stress reactions in adults or older teens using a 19-item self-report checklist.
Language: English
Who can administer: Any healthcare team member; adults or teens can complete as self-report.
Time to administer: 5-10 minutes
References: Bryant et al., 2000
NOTE: CPTS has created an adapted version of the ASDS suitable for use with healthcare staff in the COVID19 pandemic.
ASDS adapted for COVID.pdf (121.46 KB)
Child Stress Disorders Checklist (CSDC) (A)
The Child Stress Disorders Checklist (CSDC) is a 35-item checklist completed by a parent or nurse to assess acute stress or PTSD symptoms in children or teens. This tool provides a comprehensive overview of a child’s symptoms from an observer’s perspective, which can be valuable for carers in understanding the full scope of the child’s distress.
Purpose & Description: A 35-item checklist completed by a parent or nurse to assess acute stress or PTSD symptoms in children or teens.
Language: English
Who can administer: Completed by a parent or nurse about the child.
Time to administer: 10 minutes
Child Stress Disorders Checklist (CSDC) Short Form (S)
The Child Stress Disorders Checklist (CSDC) Short Form is a 4-item subset of the full CSDC, designed for quick screening of acute stress or PTSD symptoms in children and teens. Its brevity makes it particularly useful in busy clinical settings, allowing for rapid assessment and potentially reducing the stress associated with lengthy evaluation processes for carers.
Purpose & Description: A 4-item subset of the CSDC for quick assessment of acute stress or PTSD symptoms in children or teens.
Language: English
Who can administer: Completed by a parent or nurse about the child.
Time to administer: 1-2 minutes
References: Bosquet Enlow et al,. 2010.
Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) for DSM5 (A)
The Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) for DSM5 is a 27-item self-report checklist that assesses PTSD symptoms and their impact on children and teenagers. This tool provides a detailed examination of PTSD symptoms, offering carers a deeper understanding of the specific challenges a child is facing.
Purpose & Description: A 27-item self-report checklist to assess PTSD symptoms and impairment in children or teens, aligned with DSM-5 criteria.
Language: English
Who can administer: Children can complete as self-report, or it can be administered as an interview.
Time to administer: 5-10 minutes
References: Foa et al., 2018.
Get information on the measure from: Edna B. Foa, Center for the Study and Treatment of Anxiety, University of Pennsylvania.
PTSD Checklist for DSM5 (PCL-5) (S) (A)
The PTSD Checklist for DSM5 (PCL-5) is a 20-item self-report checklist that assesses PTSD symptoms in older teens and adults. Similar to the ASDS, understanding the PCL-5 can be beneficial for carers in recognizing potential PTSD symptoms in older adolescents and even in themselves, fostering a greater awareness of trauma’s impact across different age groups.
Purpose & Description: A 20-item self-report checklist to assess PTSD symptoms in older teens and adults, based on DSM-5 criteria.
Language: English, Spanish
Who can administer: Any member of the healthcare team; adults can complete as self-report.
Time to administer: 5-10 minutes
References: Blevins et al., 2015.
Scale available from the National Center for PTSD.
Tools to Evaluate Psychosocial Support Needs
Assessing psychosocial support needs is crucial in providing holistic care. These tools help identify areas where children and families require additional support, which is vital information for carers in planning interventions and managing the overall demands of caregiving.
Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) (S) (A)
The Psychosocial Assessment Tool (PAT) is a comprehensive questionnaire designed to assess psychosocial risk in families of children newly diagnosed with cancer. It helps identify families who would benefit from targeted psychosocial intervention. While specific to families facing childhood cancer, the principles and approach of the PAT can be adapted and applied to other contexts where children and families are experiencing significant stress.
Purpose & Description: A comprehensive questionnaire assessing psychosocial risk in families of children newly diagnosed with cancer, aiding in identifying families needing targeted support.
Language: English, Spanish
Who can administer: Any member of the healthcare team.
Time to administer: 10-15 minutes
References: Kazak et al. 2018
Get information on the measure from: [email protected]
Hospital Emotional Support Form (A)
The Hospital Emotional Support Form is a brief clinical assessment tool designed to aid parents in providing coping assistance to their child in a hospital setting. This tool empowers parents to actively support their child’s emotional needs during hospitalization, which can be a stressful time for both the child and the parent.
Purpose & Description: A brief clinical assessment tool to aid parents in providing emotional coping assistance to their child during hospitalization.
Language: English
Who can administer: Any member of the healthcare team.
Time to administer: 5-10 minutes
References: N/A
Tools to Guide Needs Assessment and Care Planning
Effective care planning is essential for addressing the complex needs of children who have experienced trauma. These tools provide frameworks for needs assessment and care planning, which can streamline the care process and reduce carer stress by offering structured approaches to intervention.
D-E-F Nursing Assessment Form (A)
The D-E-F Nursing Assessment Form is a brief checklist completed by physicians, nurses, or social workers to guide needs assessment and care planning for hospitalized children. Organized around the D-E-F framework (Distress, Emotional support needs, and Family needs/strengths), it provides a structured approach to assessing and addressing various aspects of a child’s needs.
Purpose & Description: A brief checklist for needs assessment and care planning with hospitalized children, using the D-E-F framework (Distress, Emotional support needs, and Family needs/strengths).
Language: English
Who can administer: Nurses, or any healthcare or psychosocial care provider.
Time to administer: 10-15 minutes
References: N/A
Medical Trauma Assessment and Action Form for Child Welfare Professionals (A)
The Medical Trauma Assessment and Action Form for Child Welfare Professionals is a brief questionnaire designed to assess psychosocial risk and medical traumatic stress in families of children within the child welfare system. This tool is specifically tailored to the unique needs of child welfare professionals, helping them identify and address medical trauma within this vulnerable population, and potentially reducing the stress associated with navigating complex child welfare cases.
Purpose & Description: A brief questionnaire assessing psychosocial risk and medical traumatic stress in families of children in the child welfare system.
Language: English
Who can administer: Any child welfare professional.
Time to administer: 10 minutes
References: N/A
Tool to Evaluate Pain in Pediatric Patients
While seemingly distinct, pain assessment in pediatric patients is crucial as pain can be a significant stressor and can be intertwined with emotional and psychological distress, particularly in trauma-exposed children. Effective pain management is an integral part of holistic care and can indirectly contribute to reducing carer stress by improving the child’s overall well-being.
Faces Pain Scale- Revised (S)
The Faces Pain Scale-Revised is a well-validated self-report scale for children and teens to assess pain related to disease, procedures, surgery/trauma, or treatment. Its simplicity and visual nature make it highly effective for use with children, facilitating better pain management and reducing distress for both the child and the carer.
Purpose & Description: A well-validated self-report scale for children or teens to assess pain (disease-related, procedural, surgical/trauma, treatment-related).
Language: English, French, and 31 additional languages
Who can administer: Any healthcare provider.
Time to administer: 1-2 minutes
References: Hicks et al., 2001.
Conclusion
While the tools outlined above are primarily focused on assessing various aspects of child well-being, their effective utilization is intrinsically linked to the experience of carers. By providing structured frameworks for understanding and addressing the needs of children exposed to stress and trauma, these assessment tools indirectly serve as Carer Stress Assessment Tools. They empower professionals and parents with the knowledge and resources necessary to provide informed and effective care, which in turn can contribute to a more manageable and less stressful caregiving experience. For those working with children, familiarizing oneself with these tools is a crucial step towards promoting both child and carer well-being.
