Free self-tests · 6 min · 20 questions
PCL-5 questionnaire: a private check of trauma-related symptoms
The PCL-5 is a 20-question checklist about problems people sometimes have after a very stressful or frightening experience, such as unwanted memories, avoiding reminders, feeling on guard or feeling cut off from others. It asks about the past month.
It is a screening questionnaire. It cannot diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a score is never a verdict on what happened to you or how you coped.
Some of these questions may bring up difficult memories. You can stop at any time. Your answers stay on your device and are not stored or sent.
Free, no sign-up. Your progress is saved only in this browser on this device, so you can stop and come back later. Nothing is sent to anyone.
Below is a list of problems that people sometimes have in response to a very stressful experience. Keeping your worst event in mind, please read each problem carefully and then select one of the numbers to the right to indicate how much you have been bothered by that problem in the past month. In the past month, how much were you bothered by:
You answered that you have been bothered quite a bit or more by taking risks or doing things that could cause you harm. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, or you are in danger right now, please reach out today.
If you are in immediate danger, call 112 (anywhere in the EU) or 999 (UK).
In the UK and Ireland you can call Samaritans on 116 123, free, at any time. If you live elsewhere, the helplines for your country are listed in the helpline register.
Booking counselling sessions is not the right first step right now. Please talk to a crisis line, your GP or emergency services first.
Your results
This is a self-report questionnaire, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can assess you properly.
Talk it through: book a session
The PDF is created on your device. Your saved answers stay in this browser until you start again or clear them.
The PCL-5 gives a picture of how much a stressful experience has been affecting you over the past month, and the cluster scores show which kinds of reactions have been strongest. It cannot tell you whether you have PTSD. A diagnosis needs a proper assessment by a qualified clinician, who will ask about what happened, how long the effects have lasted and how they affect your life.
If your score was in or above the suggested cut-off range, or if memories, nightmares or feeling constantly on guard are getting in the way of daily life, please talk to a GP or another qualified health professional. Specialist trauma services exist, and your GP can tell you how to reach them where you live.
I want to be clear about my own role. I am a trainee person-centred counsellor, and I do not assess or treat PTSD or offer trauma-focused therapy. That work belongs with specialist services. If you are looking for support with things that sit alongside it, such as identity and belonging or settling into life abroad, you can read more there, or see what I offer.
How the PCL-5 score works
20 questions, scored by adding up your answers. These are the score ranges this page uses to describe your result. Where the questionnaire's authors publish official cut-offs, the ranges follow them; the sources are listed below.
| Score | Range |
|---|---|
| Below the suggested cut-off range | 0 to 30 |
| Within the suggested cut-off range | 31 to 33 |
| Above the suggested cut-off range | 34 to 80 |
About this questionnaire
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) by Frank W. Weathers, Brett T. Litz, Terence M. Keane, Patrick A. Palmieri, Brian P. Marx and Paula P. Schnurr (National Center for PTSD) (2013).
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) [Measurement instrument]. National Center for PTSD. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Used in line with the published terms of use.
Questions people ask
Can the PCL-5 diagnose PTSD?
No. The PCL-5 is a self-report checklist. It can flag that a stressful experience is still affecting you a lot, and researchers use it to estimate who may have PTSD. A diagnosis can only come from a qualified clinician after a proper assessment.
What PCL-5 score suggests PTSD?
The US National Center for PTSD says initial research suggests a cut-off between 31 and 33 is indicative of probable PTSD. That is a screening signal, not a diagnosis. Scores below it can still reflect real distress worth talking about with a professional.
Do I have to say what my worst event was?
No. The paper form has a space to write it down, but this version doesn't ask you to type anything. You only need to keep the experience in mind while you answer. Your answers stay on your device and are not stored or sent.
What if the questions bring up difficult feelings?
That can happen. You can stop at any time, take a break or close the page. Grounding yourself in the room around you can help. If you feel overwhelmed or unsafe, contact emergency services, Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or a local crisis line.