The best way to support the treatment of children and youth who have experienced trauma is to understand their trauma history and their current experiences and symptoms. Evidence-based assessments provide this foundation. Assessments may include semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and case review. Below, find resources for professionals on screening and assessing trauma in children and youth.
CANS-Trauma Comprehensive
Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services and Interventions
Provides information about and access to the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Trauma Comprehensive module, which tracks children’s and families' traumatic experiences and strengths over time.
Child Measures of Trauma and PTSD
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Provides a list of child and adolescent trauma and PTSD measures, including a brief description, sample items, versions, and references.
Got Your ACE Score?
ACES Too High
Provides an assessment to determine an individual’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) score. This resource discusses the significance of ACEs scores for cognitive and behavioral development.
Screening and Assessment
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Provides an overview of the importance of a comprehensive assessment of complex trauma and includes a case illustration. On this page, you can find Complex Trauma Standardized Measures.
Trauma Assessment Tools
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
Describes intended age, estimated time, and language for a number of assessments used to assess the level of traumatic stress symptomatology in children and youth.
Trauma-Informed Innovative Practices: Insights From Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grantees on Addressing Trauma in Child Welfare
Murphy & Ingoldsby (2020)
James Bell Associates
Highlights common approaches, successes, and lessons learned from 20 Children’s Bureau discretionary grantees that received funding to identify and support children in the child welfare system who are impacted by trauma. The report highlights the grantees’ activities and innovations across five core programmatic components: universal screening, functional assessment, child- and system-level monitoring, service array expansion, and data-driven implementation.
Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute
Provides training, consultation, information, and resources for those who work with trauma-exposed children, adolescents, and adults. Website includes a section on assessment.