The Lancaster and Northgate Trauma Scales (LANTS): the development and psychometric properties of a measure of trauma for people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities.

Keintz et al. (2011) built two new trauma checklists for adults with mild or moderate intellectual disability. One checklist has 29 items that clients answer themselves. The other has 43 items that staff or family fill out.

The team ran standard psych tests to see if the checklists give steady answers and truly catch trauma signs.

Both checklists passed the tests. They showed good reliability and validity, so you can trust the scores.

This gives BCBAs a quick way to screen for trauma history before starting behavior plans.

Cheves et al. (2026) later made the OWLS-ID, a 27-item distress scale for the same group. It does not replace LANTS; it adds a mood screen after you rule out trauma.

Granieri et al. (2020) showed that everyday scales like PHQ-9 and GAD-7 also work with this group. Together with LANTS, you now have a full mental-health battery: trauma, mood, and anxiety.

Willemsen-Swinkels et al. (1998) did something similar with the Mini PAS-ADD for broad psychiatric disorders. LANTS narrows the focus to trauma, giving finer detail where Mini PAS-ADD gives a wide sweep.

You can now start every intake with two short numbers: 29 items if the client can self-report, 43 if you need an informant. A clear trauma score tells you when to refer out for trauma-focused care before you write behavior goals. This saves time and keeps your treatment plan trauma-informed from day one.