French translation and validation of the International Trauma Questionnaire in a Canadian community sample

Abstract

Background: The diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) was recently included into the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Recognizing the need for a brief and specific measure CPTSD symptoms as defined by the ICD-11, Cloitre and her team (2018) developed the original English version of the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). The ITQ is composed of two scales-'post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)' and 'disturbances in self-organization' (DSO), respectively subdivided into three subscales. It was found to be psychometrically valid but has yet to be available in French.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide a French version of the ITQ and to examine its factorial validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity in a French-speaking Canadian sample.

Participants: The sample included 335 French-Canadian adults from the community.

Methods: The ITQ was translated in French, back translated into English, and deemed equivalent by the original ITQ's author. Participants answered the French version of the ITQ, as well as measures of convergent validity, via phone interview.

Results: Confirmatory factorial analyses revealed that the French ITQ presented the same factor structure as the original ITQ. Composite reliability scores revealed good internal consistency for both scales, and all but one subscale. Pearson's correlation and Steiger's Z test revealed good convergent validity.

Conclusion: This study supports the factorial validity, internal consistency, and convergent validity of the French version of the ITQ, suggesting that it is a psychometrically sound measure of CPTSD.

Keywords: Complex post-traumatic stress disorder; French translation; Post-traumatic stress disorder; The International Trauma Questionnaire; Validation.