Odense Child Trauma Screening (OCTS) is a story stem screening tool that can be used to assess whether children aged 4-8 years show signs of traumatisation. The test is aimed at professionals who can use storytelling and characters in a structured play interview to investigate the following:
1) The child's handling of internal and external conflict situations
2) The child's immediate representations of parent-child relationships
3) Whether the child shows signs of disorganised behaviour and attachment
The premise of OCTS is that children who are traumatised will show signs of this in their play when placed in a structured and controlled play situation. The interviewer starts a story and play that contains some degree of recognisable, everyday conflicts and psychological tension, which the child is asked to take over and retell.
Find a list of OCTS certified psychologists in Denmark here.
Publications:
Alkærsig, M., Elklit, A., & Løkkegaard, S.S. (2023). Indsamling af danske normer til Odense Child Trauma Screening (OCTS). Odense: Videnscenter for Psykotraumatologi, Institut for Psykologi, Syddansk Universitet. (s. 1-44).
Løkkegaard, S. S., Elmose, M., & Elklit, A. (2021). Development and initial validation of the Odense Child Trauma Screening: a story stem screening tool for preschool and young schoolchildren. Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology Vol. 9:113-126. DOI 10.21307/sjcapp-2021-013
Løkkegaard, S. S. & Elklit, A. (2017). OCTS: Administrations-manual. Odense: Videnscenter for Psykotraumatologi, Institut for Psykologi, Syddansk Universitet.
Andersen, M.E., Eriksen, S.B. & Løkkegaard, S. S. (2016). Udvikling af story stem-redskab til screening af traumatisering hos førskolebørn. Matrix, 33 (2), 4-18.
Eriksen, S. B., & Elklit, A. (2013). Metoder til undersøgelse af mindre børns mulige traumer ud fra story stem-traditionen. Odense: Videnscenter for Psykotraumatologi, Institut for Psykologi, Syddansk Universitet.