3015 N Ocean Blvd, Ste C101, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Office hours: Mon–Sat, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
Crisis: 988 | Emergency: 911
PC-PTSD-5 · ADULT SCREENING
A brief starting point for a conversation about experiences over the past month.
Please confirm you are 18 or older.
Sometimes things happen to people that are unusually or especially frightening, horrible, or traumatic. For example:
If no, screen total = 0. Please stop here. If yes, please answer the questions below.
Choose Yes or No, or use “Stop without a result.”
In the past month, have you...
YOUR PC-PTSD-5 SCREENING RESULT
This result cannot diagnose or rule out PTSD, assess your safety, or replace an evaluation. A clinician can review your history, symptoms, and their impact on your life.
The five Yes responses are counted, for a score from 0 to 5. A No to the opening trauma question ends the screen with a score of 0. We use 4 as a reference threshold for recommending further PTSD assessment, based on VA primary care research. It is not a severity scale or a universal diagnostic cutoff.
Performance varies across populations. VA research found that a threshold of 4 missed more women with PTSD; a lower threshold may be appropriate in some settings. Results below 4 can still warrant evaluation. Our guidance encourages a conversation at any score, especially if symptoms trouble you.
No result was calculated, and your answers have been cleared. You can request support without finishing this screener or describing what happened online.
If you are in immediate danger or cannot stay safe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. In the U.S., call 988, text 988, or use 988 chat. Outside the U.S., use local emergency or crisis services.
This page is not monitored and does not alert our team. Do not wait for an appointment callback if you need immediate help.
Answers and scores remain in this page’s memory, are not saved in browser storage, and are not sent to WordPress, GoHighLevel or our care team. Clearing, reloading or leaving removes them. The separate appointment form has its own data handling.
We count starts, completions and subsequent appointment requests using a temporary random marker. No answers or scores are included. Ordinary hosting access logs are separate.
The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 is a brief screening instrument developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. It begins with lifetime trauma exposure, followed by five Yes/No questions about the past month when applicable. A positive screen calls for further assessment, not an automatic diagnosis.
You can discuss the result with a qualified professional. Further assessment may include a clinical interview or a longer validated questionnaire. You can seek care even if your score is below the screening threshold.
Prins, A., Bovin, M. J., Kimerling, R., Kaloupek, D. G., Marx, B. P., Pless Kaiser, A., & Schnurr, P. P. (2015). The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5).
The VA National Center for PTSD identifies this instrument as public domain and not copyrighted, intended for qualified health professionals and researchers. Original English question wording is retained here. This online presentation does not imply VA endorsement.
Official instrument, scoring guidance, and research references