Abstract

The present study analyzed the factor structure of items related to trauma experienced in the context of an abusive intimate adult relationship. One hundred and twenty male and female participants who experienced an abusive traumatic relationship completed the post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTRS) questionnaire, a 40-item scale, measuring several dimensions of relationship trauma. The scale was shown to have strong reliability (α = 0.97) and between 0.70 and 0.96 for the varying factors. Seven meaningful factors resulted from an exploratory factor analysis used to assess the performance of items related to trauma symptomatology in abusive relationships. These factors included: Physiological Anxiety Responses, Safety/Trust, Hyperarousal, Emotional/Cognitive Dysregulation, Intimate Relational Changes, Emotional/Psychological Distress, and Loss/Isolation. The PTRS questionnaire appears to be a reliable and valid screening tool for relationship trauma.

Key words: Relationship, trauma, abusive relationships, post traumatic symptoms, factors.