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

OBJECTIVE

No validated instrument for assessing childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria is available in Ukraine. As prior experiences of trauma elevate the risk of developing CB-PTSD, there is a need for tools facilitating the identification of affected mothers in war-affected regions. This study aimed to test the bifactor latent structure and alternative models, internal consistency, and convergent and divergent validity of the Ukrainian adaptation of the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS).

METHOD: In a cross-sectional study, 320 women completed online questionnaires, including the City BiTS, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire.

RESULTS

Confirmatory analyses were conducted to assess the fit of two-factor, four-factor, and bifactor models. The bifactor model was the best fitting one. The examination of the bifactor indices supported the computation of a total CB-PTSD score and the use of the General Symptoms subscale, both of which emerged as distinct and well-defined factors. Both subscales (the Birth-Related Symptoms subscale and the General Symptoms subscale) and the total scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .88, .91, and .92, respectively). Convergent and divergent validity testing indicated robust validity, particularly of the General Symptoms subscale score. The prevalence of CB-PTSD in Ukraine was 6.2% (n = 16).

CONCLUSION

City BiTS proved to be a reliable and valid measure, recommended for use among Ukrainian women in the postpartum period as a screening tool. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).