Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale (TABS)

This highly useful instrument assesses the long-lasting psychological impact of traumatic life events. The TABS helps clinicians design the most effective therapeutic approach for individual trauma survivors as well as important themes that characterize the client’s relationships.

 

Composed of 84 items, the TABS is a self-report, paper-and-pencil test. It assesses beliefs--about self and others--that are related to five needs commonly affected by traumatic experience: Safety, Trust, Esteem, Intimacy, and Control. For each of these dimensions, the TABS produces 10 scale scores reflecting “beliefs about self” and “beliefs about others.” A Total Score is also provided.

 

The client rates each item on a 6-point scale. Adult norms are based on a heterogeneous sample of 1,743 individuals ages 18 and older. Youth norms are derived from a sample of 1,242 students, 9 to 18 years of age, from public schools throughout the United States. They are separated by age (9 to 13 years and 14 to 18 years).

 

Brief, easy to read, nonthreatening, and highly sensitive to the specific effects of traumatic experience, the TABS gives clinicians a valuable tool in assessing trauma survivors, clients with PTSD, individuals with vicarious traumatization, and those with other psychological problems.