Development of the PTSD-iMPACT to Measure PTSD-Related Functional Impairment in Children and Adolescents - A Validation Study in Switzerland and Germany

Recruiting now

Conditions studied: PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD-Related Functional Impairment in Children and Adolescents

In brief

Population-based and clinical studies indicate that a substantial proportion of children and adolescents are exposed to one or more potentially traumatic events (PTEs) Approximately 16 % of those affected by childhood trauma go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with an even higher proportion experiencing subclinical levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). In Switzerland, over half of adolescents report exposure to at least one PTE, with 4.2 % meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD. PTSD frequently impacts young people's social and educational functioning, often impairing their ability to engage in everyday life activities that are important or meaningful to them. Although the psychological consequences of PTSD are well documented, there is limited empirical understanding of how PTSS specifically affects day-to-day functioning in young people. A key reason for this gap is the absence of a validated instrument specifically designed to assess PTSD-related functional impairment in children and adolescents. To address this need, the PTSD-iMPairment in Adolescent \& Children's Capacity for Thriving (PTSD-iMPACT) measure was developed. This tool aims to systematically assess the extent of PTSD-related functional impairment in children and adolescents across key life domains, such as family, friends, school, apprenticeship, hobbies or media use. The overall aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PTSD-iMPACT questionnaire in a clinical and in a non-clinical sample and to provide an internationally applicable standard instrument for the assessment of PTSD-related functional impairment in trauma-exposed children and adolescents. In the long term, the aim is to ensure that the care and support provided to children and adolescents who experience difficulties in their daily lives due to post-traumatic stress symptoms are sustainably monitored and improved.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07368166

Run by

University Children's Hospital, Zurich

People needed

1200

Starts

2025-12-15

Expected to finish

2026-10-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-01-26

Who can join

Age: 7 and older, up to 18. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Use of (mental) health services at a participating study center.
• Children and adolescents between 7 and 18 years / caregivers of children and adolescents between 3 and 18 years
• Sufficient knowledge of the German language
• Signed consent form (7-18 years: patient and caregiver; 3-6 years: caregivers)

You may not qualify if…

• Children and adolescents under 7 or over 18 years / caregivers of children and adolescents under 3 or over 18 years
• Not sufficient knowledge of the German language
• No signed consent form (7-18 years: patient and/or caregiver; 3-6 years: caregivers)
• Non-clinical population Only recruited in Switzerland.
• Inclusion Criteria:
• Students between 3rd grade and 18 years / caregivers of kindergarteners and students up until 18 years
• Sufficient knowledge of the German language
• Exclusion Criteria:
• Students 2nd grade or lower and over 18 years / caregivers of children not yet in Kindergarten and students over 18 years
• No sufficient knowledge of the German language

Where it is running

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services Thurgau — Frauenfeld, Switzerland (enrolling)
• • Parent-Child Consultation 0-5 of The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services St. Gallen — Sankt Gallen, Switzerland (enrolling)
• Cantonal Hospital Winterthur — Winterthur, Switzerland (enrolling)
• University Children's Hospital Zurich — Zurich, Switzerland (enrolling)
• Kinder- und Jugendlichen-Psychotherapie-Ambulanz (KJ-PAM) Marburg — Marburg, Germany
• Traumaambulanz, Universitätsklinikum Aachen — Aachen, Germany
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Ulm University — Ulm, Germany
• Universitätsklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychosomatik und Psychotherapie Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg — Oldenburg, Germany
• Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg — Bamberg, Germany
• Lehrstuhl für Klinische Psychologie und Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapie, Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt — Eichstätt, Germany
• Zentrum für Psychotherapie Bodensee (apb) — Konstanz, Germany

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