20-item self-report measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptom severity. ≈ 5 min to complete. Free with attribution.
PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 20-item self-report measure of dsm-5 ptsd symptom severity.. It is most often used for 20-item self-report measure of dsm-5 ptsd symptom severity.. The instrument contains 20 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 5 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
20-item self-report measure of DSM-5 PTSD symptom severity. PCL-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, PCL-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 20 items below to see your PCL-5 score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 5-point scale (0–4). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Sum all 20 items scored 0-4. Total range 0-80. Score >= 33 suggests probable PTSD.
Scoring notes: Sum all 20 items scored 0-4. Total range 0-80. Score >= 33 suggests probable PTSD.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–32 | Below cutoff | Monitor |
| 33–80 | Probable PTSD | Further 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.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Repeated, disturbing, and unwanted memories of the stressful experience | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 2 | Repeated, disturbing dreams of the stressful experience | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 3 | Suddenly feeling or acting as if the stressful experience were actually happening again (as if you were actually back there reliving it) | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 4 | Feeling very upset when something reminded you of the stressful experience | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 5 | Having strong physical reactions when something reminded you of the stressful experience (for example, heart pounding, trouble breathing, sweating) | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 6 | Avoiding memories, thoughts, or feelings related to the stressful experience | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 7 | Avoiding external reminders of the stressful experience (for example, people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations) | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 8 | Trouble remembering important parts of the stressful experience | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 9 | Having strong negative beliefs about yourself, other people, or the world | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 10 | Blaming yourself or someone else for the stressful experience or what happened after it | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 11 | Having strong negative feelings such as fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 12 | Loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 13 | Feeling distant or cut off from other people | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 14 | Trouble experiencing positive feelings (for example, being unable to feel happiness or have loving feelings for people close to you) | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 15 | Irritable behavior, angry outbursts, or acting aggressively | Moderately | 2 |
| 16 | Taking too many risks or doing things that could cause you harm | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 17 | Being superalert or watchful or on guard | Moderately | 2 |
| 18 | Feeling jumpy or easily startled | Quite a bit | 3 |
| 19 | Having difficulty concentrating | Moderately | 2 |
| 20 | Trouble falling or staying asleep | Quite a bit | 3 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + … (items 9–20 sum to 33) = 57
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 57 falls between 33 and 80 → Probable PTSD
Probable PTSD. Further evaluation
A score is one input alongside history and examination. PCL-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 PCL-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-C | 17-item civilian version of PTSD Checklist based on DSM-IV. | 17 | ≈ 5 min |
| LEC-5 | 17-item self-report measure of exposure to potentially traumatic events. | 17 | ≈ 3 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 | — |
PCL-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) is a validated instrument that assesses DSM-5 PTSD symptom severity. It is designed for clinicians, medical students, evidence-synthesis researchers. It takes about 5 min to complete, and the 20 items are summed to produce a total score.
PCL-5 typically takes about 5 min to administer. The exact duration varies a little depending on whether it is self-administered or completed with a clinician. Its brief format is part of what makes it practical for routine clinical use and for repeat administration when tracking change over time.
PCL-5 contains 20 items. Item scores are summed to produce the total. Scores run from 0 to 80, grouped into 2 interpretation bands from ‘Below cutoff’ up to ‘Probable PTSD’.
On the PCL-5 (total score 0–80), scores of 33–80 fall in the ‘Probable PTSD’ band — interpreted as: Further evaluation. The full ladder is: 0–32 — Below cutoff: Monitor.; 33–80 — Probable PTSD: Further evaluation. A higher score reflects a more severe presentation, and crossing a cutoff is a prompt to step up assessment or care — but these bands are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Scores of 0–32 fall in the ‘Below cutoff’ band: Monitor. A low score is reassuring but does not by itself rule out the underlying condition — if symptoms or clinical suspicion persist, reassess over time or use a complementary evaluation rather than relying on the number alone.
PCL-5 has reported Cronbach's α of 0.96 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.84. Excellent psychometric properties; aligned with DSM-5 criteria. In practical terms, a Cronbach’s α around 0.96 indicates excellent internal consistency (the items hang together well), and a test–retest reliability of 0.84 means scores are strongly stable when the scale is repeated without real clinical change.
PCL-5 is free to use with attribution — clinical, educational, and research use is permitted provided the original source is credited. If you publish results or reproduce the scale, include the citation to the source paper.
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. This is the original publication for the PCL-5 — the reference to cite when reporting results.
No. PCL-5 is a structured assessment aid, not a diagnostic test. Its proper role is clinical assessment of DSM-5 PTSD symptom severity — it standardizes assessment and flags who needs closer evaluation, but the result must be weighed alongside history, examination, and clinical context. When a score conflicts with your clinical impression, clinical judgment takes precedence; treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
PCL-5 is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: