Introducing the Deenz Childhood Trauma Scale (DCTS-28): Validating a Comprehensive Measure for Assessing Childhood Trauma Experiences

This study introduces the Deenz Childhood Trauma Scale (DCTS-28), a comprehensive instrument designed to assess childhood trauma experiences and their multidimensional impacts on psychological well-being. In a sample of 240 college students (97 female, 143 male; mean age = 23.4 years, SD = 1.8), the DCTS-28 demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Validity was supported by significant correlations with established measures of childhood trauma, including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire. High reliability was indicated by internal consistency analysis, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients exceeding 0.90 for the total scale and satisfactory values for individual subscales. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the hypothesized multidimensional structure of the DCTS-28, encompassing emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral aspects of childhood trauma, as well as overall trauma severity. Gender analyses revealed no significant differences in DCTS-28 scores, indicating its applicability across genders. These findings highlight the utility of the DCTS-28 in assessing childhood trauma experiences comprehensively and reliably in college students, with implications for research and clinical practice.