Assessment of childbirth-related PTSD: Psychometric properties of the Ukrainian version of City Birth Trauma Scale

Background There is no validated Ukrainian instrument for assessing childbirth-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CB-PTSD) according to DSM-5 criteria. Objectives Evaluate the psychometric properties of the Ukrainian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS) and examine its factor structure. Method In a cross-sectional study, 320 women completed online questionnaires, including the City BiTS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results The prevalence of CB-PTSD in Ukraine was 6.2%. Confirmatory analyses were conducted to assess the fit of two-factor and four-factor models, as well as a bifactor model. The bifactor model was found to be the best-fitting model. The examination of the bifactor indices supported the computation of a total PTSD score as well as the use of the General Symptoms subscale, which emerged as distinct and well-defined factors. Both subscales (Birth-Related Symptoms subscale and General Symptoms subscale) and the total scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .92). Convergent and divergent validity testing indicated robust validity, particularly for General symptoms score. Conclusions The City BiTS emerged as a reliable and valid measure, recommended for use among Ukrainian women in the postpartum period as a screening method. Trial registration. Clinical trial registration was completed at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT05654987 (Date: December 16, 2022)..