Development and initial validation of the Trauma-Related Shame Inventory—Short Form.

The Trauma-Related Shame Inventory (TRSI) was initially developed to explore the construct of trauma-related shame. The purpose of this study was to develop a standard, shortened version of the TRSI to address issues regarding clinical utility, participant fatigue, and the use of unstandardized shortened versions of the TRSI in the current literature. Two samples of 228 and 199 adults who received treatment at Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Partial Hospitalizations Program completed questionnaires measuring trauma-related shame, depression, posttraumatic cognitions, and self-compassion. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to estimate 3-factor solutions for the TRSI and the 2-factor solutions of the TRSI-Short Form (TRSI-SF) in Sample 1. The TRSI-SF and the 2 subscales were psychometrically evaluated in both Sample 1 and Sample 2 by conducting scale analyses and estimating reliabilities and validities. A 10-item TRSI-SF scale with 2 subscales was developed after analyzing model fit and factor loadings in Sample 1. The confirmatory factor analyses for the 2-factor solution of the TRSI-SF showed satisfactory global fit in both samples. The psychometric properties of the TRSI-SF estimated in both samples are satisfactory. Specifically, the TRSI-SF and the 2 subscales demonstrated satisfactory reliabilities. The results of validity analyses indicated strong construct validity as evidenced by expected correlations with variables of interest. Given the negative impact of trauma-related shame on PTSD treatment outcomes, the TRSI-SF can serve as a valid measurement to expand treatment outcome research in a cost-effective manner and guide clinicians in time-limited care settings.