Trauma
Stress after a hard experience
20 questions · 6 min
After a very stressful or frightening experience, many people notice reactions like unwanted memories, avoiding reminders, feeling low or cut off, or being on edge. This questionnaire asks how much each of twenty such reactions bothered you over the past month, keeping your most stressful experience in mind.
You don’t need to write down or describe what happened. You get an overall result, and one for each of four kinds of reaction under More detail. It’s a starting point for understanding how you’re doing, not a diagnosis.
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What it shows
How much common reactions to a very stressful experience have bothered you in the past month.
What it doesn’t
A diagnosis. Only a professional can assess post-traumatic stress disorder.
Who it’s for
This check may help if you’ve been through a very stressful or frightening experience and are still noticing its effects, such as memories that come back, avoiding reminders, feeling low or being on edge. It can be useful whether the experience was recent or long ago.
Because it asks about twenty reactions, it gives a fuller picture than a short screen, and the four parts of your result can help you explain what you’re going through to a doctor or therapist. Taking it again over time can show whether things are easing.
Questions people ask
What does the PCL-5 measure?
It measures how much common reactions to a very stressful experience have bothered you in the past month. Under More detail you also see four kinds of reaction: unwanted memories, avoiding reminders, hard thoughts and feelings, and feeling on edge.
How long does it take?
There are 20 questions and it takes about 6 minutes. You keep your most stressful experience in mind, but you don’t need to describe what happened.
How is the PCL-5 scored?
Each reaction is rated from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely), giving a total from 0 to 80. Researchers link a total of around 31 to 33 or more with a higher chance of lasting stress reactions; this check uses 31 as the point where a closer look is worthwhile.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. It’s a starting point for understanding how you’re doing, and only a professional can assess post-traumatic stress disorder.
What should I do if my score is high?
A doctor or therapist can help with reactions to a hard experience, and there are treatments that work well. Taking it again in about a month can show whether things are changing.
What if I’m struggling right now?
If you might hurt yourself, call your local emergency number now. You can find free, confidential helplines in your country at findahelpline.com.
Where it comes from
Developed by Frank Weathers and colleagues at the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the United States in 2013.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist
On iPhone or iPad?
Sprout is an app there too, and this link opens the test straight away if you have it.
Coming soon to the App Store