Methods of trauma screening for children and adolescents: using psychological questionnaires in sociological research

Within the seminar, I aim to provide a comprehensive exploration of advanced methodologies for assessing trauma and psychological well-being among vulnerable populations, with a specific focus on children and adolescents who have experienced mass traumatic events, such as war. The ongoing war in Ukraine, which has caused widespread displacement, loss, and instability, has created a pressing need for reliable tools to evaluate the emotional and psychological impact on young individuals affected by the conflict. Drawing on my research during this challenging period, I will share my experience using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to assess post-traumatic stress responses among children and adolescents from internally displaced families. Furthermore, I will present the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screening (CATS) methodologies, which have been adapted and applied in the Ukrainian context. These instruments allow researchers to systematically identify emotional and behavioral issues stemming from war-related experiences and other mass traumatic events. Through the seminar, I aim to share practical insights into the application of these tools while highlighting their relevance in studying the impacts of psychological trauma on children and adolescents.

Iryna Kuzina is PhD in Sociology, Head of the Department of Sociology, Educational and Scientific Institute of Sociology and Mediacommunications, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University (Kharkiv, Ukraine).