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PTSD Symptom Screening (PCL-5)
20 questions for assessing the severity of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms over the past month.
20 questions · about 7 minutes · free, no sign-up
In the past month, how much were you bothered by the following?
Your result
A questionnaire cannot diagnose anything. It shows how much something has been bothering you lately, and that is a starting point for a conversation — with a professional, or with someone you trust.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, please do not wait: call your local emergency number, or find a helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.
How the score is read
Add up your answers: the total runs from 0 to 80.
| Score | Level |
|---|---|
| 0–32 | Below the clinical threshold |
| 33–80 | Clinically significant symptom level |
A score is a number. What does it mean for you?
In Luther the same questionnaire comes with a personal reading: what your answers point to, what has changed since last time, and what is worth trying next. Your first day is free, with no card.
About this questionnaire
Source: PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) — Weathers et al. (2013), National Center for PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Public domain. Read the original publication →
Who developed it
The PCL-5 is the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, written by Frank W. Weathers, Brett T. Litz, Terence M. Keane, Patrick A. Palmieri, Brian P. Marx and Paula P. Schnurr at the U.S. National Center for PTSD in 2013, when the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder changed in the fifth edition of the DSM. It replaced the earlier PCL-C and PCL-M. Its 20 items follow the 20 symptoms in the DSM-5 definition, grouped in four clusters: intrusion, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. It is in the public domain.
How it is used
Each item scores from 0 to 4 and the total runs from 0 to 80. The National Center for PTSD suggests a cut-off of 31 to 33 as the point at which PTSD is probable and a full assessment is warranted; this page uses 33. The checklist is also read by cluster: a provisional diagnosis needs at least one intrusion symptom, one avoidance symptom, two in thinking and mood and two in arousal, each rated 2 or more. In treatment the PCL-5 is repeated every few sessions; a change of 5 to 10 points is treated as reliable and 10 to 20 as clinically meaningful.
What it does not measure
The checklist asks about symptoms, not about what happened. PTSD by definition follows exposure to death, serious injury or sexual violence, and the PCL-5 cannot check that; its items are meant to be answered with one specific event in mind. Many of the symptoms overlap with depression, anxiety and sleep problems, so a high score can come from those. In the first weeks after a frightening event, strong reactions are expected and are not PTSD, which requires symptoms lasting more than a month. Only a clinical interview can give a diagnosis.
What to do with your result
Below 33, symptoms may still be worth attention if they are affecting your sleep, relationships or work, and a professional can help with them whatever they are called. At 33 or above, please talk to a doctor or a trauma-informed professional: post-traumatic stress has well-studied treatments, and a structured interview will show whether that is what this is. If the event was recent, give it a month and take the checklist again. If the questions have brought up thoughts of harming yourself, do not wait for any of that: contact a crisis line or emergency services now.
Frequently asked questions
What PCL-5 score indicates PTSD?
The National Center for PTSD recommends 31 to 33 as the cut-off for probable PTSD; this page uses 33. Probable is the key word: the score means a full assessment is warranted, not that the diagnosis has been made. The cut-off is set lower in some screening settings and higher where a confirmed diagnosis matters more than a missed one.
Does a high PCL-5 score mean I have PTSD?
Not by itself. The diagnosis needs a qualifying traumatic event, symptoms lasting more than a month, and a clinical interview such as the CAPS-5. Depression, anxiety and severe sleep loss can raise the score too. What a high score does mean is that it is worth being assessed.
What are the four PCL-5 symptom clusters?
Intrusion (questions 1 to 5): memories, dreams, flashbacks and being upset by reminders. Avoidance (6 and 7): staying away from memories and from people, places and situations. Negative changes in thinking and mood (8 to 14): memory gaps, blame, persistent negative feelings, loss of interest, distance from others. Arousal and reactivity (15 to 20): irritability, risk-taking, being on guard, being startled, trouble concentrating and sleeping.
How is the PCL-5 different from the PCL-C?
The PCL-C and PCL-M were written for DSM-IV, with 17 items scored from 1 to 5. The PCL-5 follows DSM-5, with 20 items scored from 0 to 4, so the totals are not comparable: 50 on the PCL-C does not mean the same as 50 on the PCL-5.
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Luther is an AI companion for everyday support. It is not therapy, not medical care and not a diagnosis. If you are thinking about harming yourself, please do not wait: call your local emergency number, or find a helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.