The Symptoms of Trauma Scale (SOTS) is a 9-item 7-point rating scale that can be used to measure severity, ranging from absent to extreme, of nine symptoms previously shown to be associated with trauma. Since the SOTS is not a diagnostic interview, it cannot be used to establish a diagnosis of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or Complex PTSD. Rather, the SOTS it is designed to be used to complement existing systems that establish trauma history as well as diagnosis.

Ratings for nine symptoms range from: 1=Absent to 7=Extreme. Because the SOTS provides a means of rating of symptoms at seven levels of severity (absent, minimal, mild, moderate, moderate severe, severe, and extreme), the SOTS can assess changes in trauma symptoms. This will become increasingly important as new treatments, both psychosocial and pharmacological, emerge to treat PTSD and other trauma related disorders.

The Symptom Specific Group Therapy, or SSGT is a set of six manuals designed by Dr. Anne-Marie Shelley. Each manual focuses on one symptom category of schizophrenia, including Positive symptoms, Negative symptoms, Trauma symptoms, Activation symptoms, Dysphoria, and Autistic Preoccupation. Each manual is intended to guide a group leader and/or co-leader in conducting group cognitive behavioral therapy sessions for patients who exemplify the specific symptoms for that group’s symptom module. Each group is intended to last approximately 12 weeks (based on group meetings once a week), and involved both interactive and teaching components. The SSGT-based program is currently being utilized at the Bronx Psychiatric Center, and is quickly gaining momentum in the realm of cognitive behavioral therapy nationwide.