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Self-tests / PCL-5

PTSD test (PCL-5)

The PCL-5 is the 20-item PTSD checklist developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. It asks how much each problem has bothered you in the past month, in relation to a very stressful experience, and scores 0 to 80.

Items
20
Minutes
4
Sign-up
None

0 of 20 answered

First, roughly how old are you?

Screening scores read differently at different ages. This lets us tell you what your result tends to mean in your decade, and what is worth ruling out first. It is not required. If you give it, only its decade is added to an anonymous daily count, with no identifier.

20 questions, about 4 minutes

Question 1 of 20

Below is a list of problems that people sometimes have in response to a very stressful experience. Keeping your worst event in mind, indicate how much you have been bothered by each problem in the past month.

  1. Repeated, disturbing, and unwanted memories of the stressful experience?
  2. Repeated, disturbing dreams of the stressful experience?
  3. Suddenly feeling or acting as if the stressful experience were actually happening again (as if you were actually back there reliving it)?
  4. Feeling very upset when something reminded you of the stressful experience?
  5. Having strong physical reactions when something reminded you of the stressful experience (for example, heart pounding, trouble breathing, sweating)?
  6. Avoiding memories, thoughts, or feelings related to the stressful experience?
  7. Avoiding external reminders of the stressful experience (for example, people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations)?
  8. Trouble remembering important parts of the stressful experience?
  9. Having strong negative beliefs about yourself, other people, or the world (for example, having thoughts such as: I am bad, there is something seriously wrong with me, no one can be trusted, the world is completely dangerous)?
  10. Blaming yourself or someone else for the stressful experience or what happened after it?
  11. Having strong negative feelings such as fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame?
  12. Loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy?
  13. Feeling distant or cut off from other people?
  14. Trouble experiencing positive feelings (for example, being unable to feel happiness or have loving feelings for people close to you)?
  15. Irritable behavior, angry outbursts, or acting aggressively?
  16. Taking too many risks or doing things that could cause you harm?
  17. Being "superalert" or watchful or on guard?
  18. Feeling jumpy or easily startled?
  19. Having difficulty concentrating?
  20. Trouble falling or staying asleep?

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About the PCL-5

PCL-5: developed by staff of the VA National Center for PTSD; in the public domain per ptsd.va.gov. Items reproduced from the Standard form (Aug 2023).

The PCL-5 is the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, published by the US Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD (Weathers, Litz, Keane, Palmieri, Marx and Schnurr, 2013). Its 20 items assess the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD, each rated 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely) over the past month, for a total severity score of 0 to 80. The National Center states that initial research suggests a cutoff between 31 and 33 is indicative of probable PTSD across samples, that a lower cut point suits screening and a higher one suits a provisional diagnosis, and that interpretation of the PCL-5 should be made by a clinician. The National Center also describes reading the items by DSM-5 symptom cluster, counting any item rated 2 (moderately) or higher, to reach a provisional diagnosis.

How this page scores it: it adds your answers into a total of 0 to 80, and reads the result against the bands the source publishes: 0 to 30 is below the probable-ptsd cut-point; 31 to 80 is at or above the probable-ptsd cut-point. Every band's wording on the result page is ours, written from the source's guidance for that range, and a result at or above the follow-up threshold says so in plain words rather than as a color.

Scored 0 to 80 by summing the 20 items. The VA states a cut-point of 31 to 33 is indicative of probable PTSD across samples, with the threshold adjusted by setting and purpose. Only a clinician can diagnose PTSD. The instrument is reproduced as published and scored the way its published source scores it. A screening questionnaire estimates symptom severity over the past month; only a clinician can diagnose, and scores can be elevated by grief, medical illness or medications.

If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time.