Measurement invariance of six language versions of the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist for DSM-5 in civilians after traumatic brain injury
Authors: Bockhop Fabian , Zeldovich Marina , Cunitz Katrin , Van Praag Dominique , van der Vlegel Marjolein , Beissbarth Tim , Hagmayer York , von Steinbuechel Nicole ,   CENTER-TBI participants and investigators, Åkerlund Cecilia , Amrein Krisztina , Andelic Nada , Andreassen Lasse , Anke Audny , Antoni Anna , Audibert Gérard , Azouvi Philippe , Azzolini Maria Luisa , Bartels Ronald , Barzó Pál , Beauvais Romuald , Beer Ronny , Bellander Bo-Michael , Belli Antonio , Benali Habib , Berardino Maurizio , Beretta Luigi , Blaabjerg Morten , Bragge Peter , Brazinova Alexandra , Brinck Vibeke , Brooker Joanne , Brorsson Camilla , Buki Andras , Bullinger Monika , Cabeleira Manuel , Caccioppola Alessio , Calappi Emiliana , Calvi Maria Rosa , Cameron Peter , Carbayo Lozano Guillermo , Carbonara Marco , Cavallo Simona , Chevallard Giorgio , Chieregato Arturo , Citerio Giuseppe , Clusmann Hans , Coburn Mark , Coles Jonathan , Cooper Jamie D. , Correia Marta , Čović Amra , Curry Nicola , Czeiter Endre , Czosnyka Marek , Dahyot-Fizelier Claire , Dark Paul , Dawes Helen , De Keyser Véronique , Degos Vincent , Della Corte Francesco , den Boogert Hugo , Depreitere Bart , Đilvesi Đula , Dixit Abhishek , Donoghue Emma , Dreier Jens , Dulière Guy-Loup , Ercole Ari , Esser Patrick , Ezer Erzsébet , Fabricius Martin , Feigin Valery L. , Foks Kelly , Frisvold Shirin , Furmanov Alex , Gagliardo Pablo , Galanaud Damien , Gantner Dashiell , Guoyi Gao  , George Pradeep , Ghuysen Alexandre , Giga Lelde , Glocker Ben , Golubovic Jagoš , A. Gomez Pedro , Gratz Johannes , Gravesteijn Benjamin , Grossi Francesca , L. Gruen Russell , Gupta Deepak , A. Haagsma Juanita , Haitsma Iain , Helbok Raimund , Helseth Eirik , Horton Lindsay , Huijben Jilske , J. Hutchinson Peter , Jacobs Bram , Jankowski Stefan , Jarrett Mike , Jiang Ji-yao , Johnson Faye , Jones Kelly , Karan Mladen , G. Kolias Angelos , Kompanje Erwin , Kondziella Daniel , Kornaropoulos Evgenios , Koskinen Lars-Owe , Kovács Noémi , Kowark Ana , Lagares Alfonso , Lanyon Linda , Laureys Steven , Lecky Fiona , Ledoux Didier , Lefering Rolf , Legrand Valerie , Lejeune Aurelie , Levi Leon , Lightfoot Roger , Lingsma Hester , I.R. Maas Andrew , Castaño-León Ana M. , Maegele Marc , Majdan Marek , Manara Alex , Manley Geoffrey , Martino Costanza , Maréchal Hugues , Mattern Julia , McMahon Catherine , Melegh Béla , Menon David , Menovsky Tomas , Mikolic Ana , Misset Benoit , Muraleedharan Visakh , Murray Lynnette , Negru Ancuta , Nelson David , Newcombe Virginia , Nieboer Daan , Nyirádi József , Olubukola Otesile , Oresic Matej , Ortolano Fabrizio , Palotie Aarno , Parizel Paul M. , Payen Jean-François , Perera Natascha , Perlbarg Vincent , Persona Paolo , Peul Wilco , Piippo-Karjalainen Anna , Pirinen Matti , Pisica Dana , Ples Horia , Polinder Suzanne , Pomposo Inigo , Posti Jussi P. , Puybasset Louis , Radoi Andreea , Ragauskas Arminas , Raj Rahul , Rambadagalla Malinka , Helmrich Isabel Retel , Rhodes Jonathan , Richardson Sylvia , Richter Sophie , Ripatti Samuli , Rocka Saulius , Roe Cecilie , Roise Olav , Rosand Jonathan , Rosenfeld Jeffrey V. , Rosenlund Christina , Rosenthal Guy , Rossaint Rolf , Rossi Sandra , RueckertMartin Rusnák Daniel , Sahuquillo Juan , Sakowitz Oliver , Sanchez-Porras Renan , Sandor Janos , Schäfer Nadine , Schmidt Silke , Schoechl Herbert , Schoonman Guus , Schou Rico Frederik , Schwendenwein Elisabeth , Sewalt Charlie , Singh Ranjit D. , Skandsen Toril , Smielewski Peter , Sorinola Abayomi , Stamatakis Emmanuel , Stanworth Simon , Stevens Robert , Stewart William , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Stocchetti Nino , Sundström Nina , Takala Riikka , Tamás Viktória , Tamosuitis Tomas , Steven Taylor Mark , Te Ao Braden , Tenovuo Olli , Theadom Alice , Thomas Matt , Tibboel Dick , Timmers Marjolein , Tolias Christos , Trapani Tony , Maria Tudora Cristina , Unterberg Andreas , Vajkoczy Peter , Vallance Shirley , Valeinis Egils , Vámos Zoltán , van der Jagt Mathieu , Van der Steen Gregory , Naalt Joukje van der , T.J.M. van Dijck Jeroen , van Erp Inge A. M. ,  van Essen Thomas A. , Hecke Wim Van , van Heugten Caroline ,  Van Praag Dominique , van Veen Ernest , Vande Vyvere Thijs , van Wijk Roel P. J. , Vargiolu Alessia , Vega Emmanuel , Velt Kimberley , Verheyden Jan , Vespa Paul M. , Vik Anne , Vilcinis Rimantas , Volovici Victor , von Steinbüchel Nicole , Voormolen Daphne , Vulekovic Petar , K.W. Wang Kevin , Whitehouse Daniel , Wiegers Eveline , Williams Guy , Wilson Lindsay , Winzeck Stefan , Wolf Stefan , Yang Zhihui , Ylén Peter , Younsi Alexander , Zeiler Frederick A. , Zelinkova Veronika , Ziverte Agate , Zoerle Tommaso 
Published: October 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is frequently associated with neuropsychiatric impairments such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be screened using self-report instruments such as the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The current study aims to inspect the factorial validity and cross-linguistic equivalence of the PCL-5 in individuals after TBI with differential severity. Data for six language groups (n ≥ 200; Dutch, English, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish) were extracted from the CENTER-TBI study database. Factorial validity of PTSD was evaluated using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and compared between four concurrent structural models. A multi-group CFA approach was utilized to investigate the measurement invariance (MI) of the PCL-5 across languages. All structural models showed satisfactory goodness-of-fit with small between-model variation. The original DSM-5 model for PTSD provided solid evidence of MI across the language groups. The current study underlines the validity of the clinical DSM-5 conceptualization of PTSD and demonstrates the comparability of PCL-5 symptom scores between language versions in individuals after TBI. Future studies should apply MI methods to other sociodemographic (e.g., age, gender) and injury-related (e.g., TBI severity) characteristics to improve the monitoring and clinical care of individuals suffering from PTSD symptoms after TBI.