Development and Validation of a Measure of Birth-Related PTSD for Fathers and Birth Partners: The City Birth Trauma Scale (Partner Version)

Research suggests that some fathers and birth partners can experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after witnessing a traumatic birth. Birth-related PTSD may impact on many aspects of fathers’ partners’ life, including relationship breakdown, self-blame reducing plans for future children. Despite the potential lives there is currently no measure birth-related validated use with partners. The current study therefore adapted City Birth Trauma Scale (Partner version) 29-item questionnaire developed to according DSM-5 criteria: stressor criteria (A), symptoms re-experiencing (B), avoidance (C), negative cognitions mood (D), hyperarousal (E), as well duration (F), significant distress or impairment (G), exclusion other causes (H). A sample 301 fathers/birth was recruited online completed measures PTSD, bonding, demographic details. Results showed had good reliability (α = 0.94) psychometric construct validity. version has same two-factor structure original scale: (1) general (2) symptoms, which accounted 51% variance. were associated preterm maternal infant complications. Overall, provides promising following childbirth be used in research clinical practice.