Process / pipelineTrauma and PTSD assessment

PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a 20-item self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms aligned with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Developed by Weathers, Litz, and Keane, it is the gold standard screening and outcome measure for PTSD in military, veteran, and civilian trauma populations. The PCL-5 assesses four symptom clusters: re-experiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and hyperarousal.

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Sources

  1. Blevins, C. A., Weathers, F. W., Davis, M. T., Witte, T. K., & Domino, J. L. (2015). The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): Development and initial psychometric evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 28(6), 489-498. DOI: 10.1002/jts.22059
  2. 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. link

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Referenced by

ScholarGatePTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/clinical-psychology/pcl-5