Screening for psychotrauma related symptomatology: Greek adaptation and validation of the Global Psychotrauma Screen

Background: Traumatizing experiences significantly impact mental health outcomes, underscoring the need for a concise yet comprehensive assessment tool. The Global Psychotrauma Screen (GPS) was developed to address this gap. Although the GPS has been translated into over 30 languages, including Greek, its cross-cultural validity remains unexamined. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Greek GPS. Method: Study 1 involved 1418 participants who completed an online questionnaire, which assessed trauma-related symptoms using the GPS, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, the International Trauma Questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist-90-R, the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The dataset from Study 1 was utilized for exploratory factor analysis. Study 2 included a dataset of 971 participants drawn from the Greek adaptation of the CARTS protocol, which was used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The results showed satisfactory internal consistency as well as test-retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity of the GPS. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a univariate structure of the GPS-Symptoms, with all symptom items exhibiting moderate to high loadings on the underlying factor and the solution accounting for 63.6% and 48.1% of the total variance in study 1 and study 2, respectively, and the univariate model fit indices being X²(112) = 282.349, p<.001, CFI =. 947, SRMR =.039, RMSEA =.040 [90% CI: 0.34–0.045], ECVI =.376 [90% CI: 0.33–.43]. All risk factors were significantly related to each of the GPS-Symptoms. Regression analyses revealed that gender and risk factors significantly predicted GPS-Symptoms. Conclusion: The current study provides preliminary evidence supporting the use of the Greek GPS as a valid and reliable tool for assessing transdiagnostic symptoms following trauma exposure.