Interpretation of the PCL-5 should be made by a clinician.

Further, because the population and the purpose of the screening may warrant different cutoff scores, clinicians are encouraged to consider both factors when choosing a cutoff score. Initial research suggests that a PCL-5 cutoff score between 31-33 is indicative of probable PTSD across samples.A provisional PTSD diagnosis can be made by treating each item rated as 2 = 'Moderately' or higher as a symptom endorsed, then following the DSM-5 diagnostic rule which requires at least: 1 B item (questions 1-5), 1 C item (questions 6-7), 2 D items (questions 8-14), 2 E items (questions 15-20).DSM-5 symptom cluster severity scores can be obtained by summing the scores for the items within a given cluster, i.e., cluster B (items 1-5), cluster C (items 6-7), cluster D (items 8-14), and cluster E (items 15-20).A total symptom severity score (range - 0-80) can be obtained by summing the scores for each of the 20 items.The PCL-5 can be scored in different ways: With the revised Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5) and extended Criterion A assessment.Without Criterion A (brief instructions and items only), which is appropriate when trauma exposure is measured by some other method.The PCL-5 can be administered in one of three formats: It takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. The PCL-5 is a self-report measure that can be completed by patients in a waiting room prior to a session or by participants as part of a research study.

Respondents rate each item from 0 ('not at all') to 4 ('extremely') to indicate the degree to which they have been bothered by that particular symptom over the past month (or past week if using the PCL-5 weekly). The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report checklist of PTSD symptoms based closely on the DSM-5 criteria. Using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) Author/publisher details National Center for PTSD, Boston, USA. Please observe copyright where indicated and reference it appropriately.Įnglish Language Versions: PCL-5, Past Month In accordance with the American Psychological Association's ethical guidelines, this instrument is intended for use by qualified health professionals and researchers. This resource should be used in an ethical and responsible manner and should be used only for the purpose(s) for which it has demonstrable validity. When necessary, the PCL-5 can be scored to provide a provisional PTSD diagnosis. The gold standard for diagnosing PTSD is a structured clinical interview such as the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5). Monitoring symptom change during and after treatment.The PCL-5 has a variety of purposes, including: The PCL-5 is a 20-item self-report measure that assesses the 20 DSM-5 symptoms of PTSD (Weathers et al., 2013).

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