PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)
A 20-item self-report measure of the DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD. Considering a stressful experience, indicate how much you have been bothered by each problem in the past month. Provisional screen for probable PTSD; administer under clinician oversight.
This is a clinical instrument. It is not publicly self-administered — a clinician assigns it through a secure patient link.
At a glance
What it measures
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (Weathers et al., 2013) is the National Center for PTSD's 20-item self-report of the DSM-5 symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Considering a stressful experience, the respondent rates how much each problem has bothered them in the past month on a 0–4 scale.
A provisional cutoff of 31–33 has been suggested for probable PTSD in veteran samples (Bovin et al., 2016); this page uses the lower bound as the provisional screen threshold. The instrument is public domain, developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Psychometric properties
The notes below are reproduced from the platform's psychometrics register for this instrument — the same source-cited reliability, validity, and norms text that accompanies its downloadable report.
Excellent internal consistency (alpha around 0.94) and strong test-retest reliability (r around 0.82) (Blevins et al., 2015; Bovin et al., 2016).
Strong convergent and discriminant validity; a cutoff of 31-33 optimizes diagnostic agreement with the CAPS-5 (Bovin et al., 2016).
Validated in veteran and trauma-exposed samples; totals range 0-80 across the four DSM-5 symptom clusters.
Example item
“Repeated, disturbing, and unwanted memories of the stressful experience?”
Illustrative only. During administration items are presented one screen-set at a time; response-key direction is never shown to respondents.
Scoring & interpretation
Item responses are summed to a total score and compared against published screening cutoffs.
| Band | Threshold | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Below provisional cutoff | ≥ 0 | Total below 31 does not meet the provisional PTSD screening cutoff. |
| Positive screen | ≥ 31 | Total of 31 or more meets the provisional cutoff suggestive of probable PTSD and warrants a full diagnostic assessment (e.g., CAPS-5). |
Source & citation
Weathers, F. W., Litz, B. T., Keane, T. M., Palmieri, P. A., Marx, B. P., & Schnurr, P. P. (2013). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). National Center for PTSD.
Scoring. A provisional cutoff of 31–33 is suggested for probable PTSD (Bovin, M. J., Marx, B. P., Weathers, F. W., et al. (2016). Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in veterans. Psychological Assessment, 28(11), 1379–1391). This implementation uses 31.
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a public-domain instrument developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD.
References
- Weathers, F. W., Litz, B. T., Keane, T. M., Palmieri, P. A., Marx, B. P., & Schnurr, P. P. (2013). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). National Center for PTSD.
- Blevins, C. A., Weathers, F. W., Davis, M. T., Witte, T. K., & Domino, J. L. (2015). The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(6), 489-498.
- Bovin, M. J., Marx, B. P., Weathers, F. W., et al. (2016). Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) in veterans. Psychological Assessment, 28(11), 1379-1391.