17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events. ≈ 3 min to complete. Free with attribution.
LEC-5 (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events.. It is most often used for 17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events.. The instrument contains 17 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 3 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events. LEC-5 is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, LEC-5 is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 17 items below to see your LEC-5 score and interpretation.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Count number of events endorsed. Used in combination with PCL-5 for PTSD assessment.
Scoring notes: Count number of events endorsed. Used in combination with PCL-5 for PTSD assessment.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–0 | No trauma exposure | None |
| 1–5 | Some trauma exposure | Monitor |
| 6–17 | High trauma exposure | Consider evaluation |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Mark each item Yes or No. Each "Yes" adds the item's weight; each "No" adds 0. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural disaster (for example, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake) | No | 0 |
| 2 | Fire or explosion | No | 0 |
| 3 | Transportation accident (for example, car accident, boat accident, train wreck, plane crash) | No | 0 |
| 4 | Serious accident at work, home, or during recreational activity | No | 0 |
| 5 | Exposure to toxic substance (for example, dangerous chemicals, radiation) | No | 0 |
| 6 | Physical assault (for example, being attacked, hit, slapped, kicked, beaten up) | No | 0 |
| 7 | Assault with a weapon (for example, being shot, stabbed, threatened with a knife, gun, bomb) | No | 0 |
| 8 | Sexual assault (for example, rape, attempted rape) | No | 0 |
| 9 | Other unwanted or uncomfortable sexual experience | No | 0 |
| 10 | Combat or exposure to a war-zone (in the military or as a civilian) | No | 0 |
| 11 | Captivity (for example, being kidnapped, abducted, held hostage, prisoner of war) | No | 0 |
| 12 | Life-threatening illness or injury | Yes | 1 |
| 13 | Severe human suffering | No | 0 |
| 14 | Sudden violent passing (for example, homicide, act of terrorism) | Yes | 1 |
| 15 | Sudden accidental passing | No | 0 |
| 16 | Serious injury, harm, or passing you caused to someone else | Yes | 1 |
| 17 | Any other very stressful event or experience | No | 0 |
Add the weights from the items where you marked "Yes" (skip the "No" answers — they contribute 0).
0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + … (items 9–17 sum to 3) = 3
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 3 falls between 1 and 5 → Some trauma exposure
Some trauma exposure. Monitor
A score is one input alongside history and examination. LEC-5 supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If LEC-5 doesn't fit your context, related instruments in trauma include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| IES-R | 22-item self-report measure of post-traumatic stress symptoms. | 22 | ≈ 5 min |
| PCL-5 | 20-item self-report measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptom severity. | 20 | ≈ 5 min |
| PCL-C | 17-item civilian version of PTSD Checklist based on DSM-IV. | 17 | ≈ 5 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
LEC-5 (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5) is a validated instrument that assesses 17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events.. Its primary clinical use is 17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events..
LEC-5 typically takes ≈ 3 min to administer. Time can vary slightly depending on whether it is self-administered or clinician-led.
LEC-5 contains 17 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 6–17 fall in the "High trauma exposure" band. Consider evaluation
Scores of 0–0 fall in the "No trauma exposure" band. None
LEC-5 has reported Cronbach's α of 0.9 in validation samples. Structured trauma exposure assessment.
LEC-5 is free to use with attribution. Free to use with citation
Weathers, F. W., Blake, D. D., Schnurr, P. P., Kaloupek, D. G., Marx, B. P., & Keane, T. M. (2013). The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). National Center for PTSD.
No. LEC-5 is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
LEC-5 is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: