⚠️ Clinical Disclaimer:These are educational screening tools only — not a diagnosis or treatment. If you are in crisis, please call 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988), Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741), or SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
What is this?
The PC-PTSD-5, a brief 5-item validated screening for PTSD used in primary care and VA settings.
Who needs it?
Anyone who has experienced trauma and wants a quick initial screening for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Bottom line
The PC-PTSD-5 is designed to identify those who may benefit from further PTSD evaluation. This tool is for informational purposes only. Not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.
What Is the PC-PTSD-5 Screening?
How Is the PC-PTSD-5 Scored?
What Do My PC-PTSD-5 Results Mean?
PC-PTSD-5 Screening
A brief PTSD screen developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. 5 yes/no questions.
~1 minute · Completely private · Public domain instrument
Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. For example: a serious accident or fire, a physical or sexual assault or abuse, an earthquake or flood, a war, seeing someone be killed or seriously injured, having a loved one die through homicide or suicide.
Have you ever experienced this kind of event?
Clinical Disclaimer
The PC-PTSD-5 is a screening tool for educational and self-reflection purposes. It is not a clinical assessment and cannot determine whether you have PTSD. A positive screen indicates that further evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended. Always consult a licensed mental health provider for concerns about trauma-related symptoms.
Reviewed by Jason Ramirez, CADC-II with 11 years of clinical experience in substance abuse counseling.
Your responses were scored entirely in your browser. Nothing was stored or transmitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PC-PTSD-5?▾
The PC-PTSD-5 (Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5) is a 5-item screening tool developed by the National Center for PTSD at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It is designed for use in primary care settings as a brief, first-step screen to identify people who may have PTSD. The instrument begins with a question about trauma exposure, followed by five yes/no questions about past-month symptoms. It was validated by Prins et al. (2016) and is in the public domain.
How is the PC-PTSD-5 scored?▾
The PC-PTSD-5 is scored by counting the number of "Yes" responses to the five symptom questions. Scores range from 0 to 5. A score of 3 or higher is considered a positive screen, meaning further evaluation with a more comprehensive tool (like the PCL-5) or a clinical interview is recommended. If the person does not endorse the initial trauma exposure question, the symptom questions are not administered and the screen is negative.
What is the difference between the PC-PTSD-5 and the PCL-5?▾
The PC-PTSD-5 is a 5-item brief screen designed to quickly identify whether further PTSD evaluation is needed. The PCL-5 is a 20-item comprehensive assessment that measures PTSD symptom severity across all four DSM-5 symptom clusters. In clinical practice, the PC-PTSD-5 is often used first as a quick check; if the screen is positive, the PCL-5 or a clinical interview is used for more detailed assessment. Both are developed by the National Center for PTSD and are in the public domain.
What does a positive PC-PTSD-5 screen mean?▾
A positive screen (score of 3 or higher) means that your symptom pattern is consistent with what is commonly seen in people who may have PTSD. It does not mean you have PTSD. It means that a more thorough evaluation is recommended. Many people screen positive and do not ultimately meet full criteria for PTSD, while some people with significant trauma-related difficulties may screen negative. The screen is a starting point, not an endpoint.
Can I use this tool for a veteran or service member?▾
Yes. The PC-PTSD-5 was originally developed for use in VA primary care settings and is widely used with veterans and active-duty service members. However, it is validated for use with anyone, not just veterans. If you are a veteran or are supporting a veteran who screens positive, the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, Press 1) and VA mental health services are specifically designed to help. The VA offers specialized PTSD treatment programs at no cost to eligible veterans.
Is my data private?▾
Yes, completely. All scoring happens in your browser using JavaScript. Your answers are never sent to a server, stored in a database, or accessible to anyone. When you close this page, your responses are gone. We do not use accounts, logins, or any form of data collection for this tool.