Mervin Smucker. Critical interview questions for assessing the type and nature of trauma characteristics following a traumatic event(s).

  1. Nature of trauma (e.g., physical or sexual assault, combat, occupational injury, vehicular accident, natural disaster)?
  2. Type of traumaType I vs. Type II trauma (single event vs. multiple,  repeated/prolonged events)?
  3. Number and duration of traumatic events?
  4. Age of trauma victim?
  5. Human-perpetrated (intentional, unintentional) vs. non-human-perpetrated trauma?
  6. Victim-perpetrator relationship?
  7. Perceived severity of trauma (e.g. life threatening)?
  8. Emotional state at time of trauma (e.g. degree of emotional upset, numbing, dissociation)?
  9. Trauma coping responses (peri-trauma, post-trauma)?
  10. PTSD symptoms (past, current)?
  11. Predominant PTSD emotions and related cognitions?
  12. Other trauma-related emotions and cognitions?
  13. Previous trauma(s) experienced?

Mervin Smucker