Abstract
The Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory (PTCI; Foa et al., 1999) measures trauma-related negative thoughts and beliefs. Negative cognitions are positively correlated with the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms that can be shown in those who have experienced negative life events. The present article reports on the prevalence of negative life events in the lives of Japanese university students, and the development and validation of a Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory (JPTCI) with students who have experienced negative life events. A survey conducted among 2,622 university students found that 53.5% had experienced such negative life events as natural disasters and transportation accidents. After the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory was translated into Japanese and checked with back translation, it was mailed to those students who had reported experiencing any of the life events. This validation study revealed that the inventory was composed of the same 3 factors as reported by Foa et al.(1999), and in addition, it demonstrated good test-retest reliability and criterion-related validity. The Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Cognition Inventory is a useful measure that can be applied to students who have experienced negative life events.
