PC-PTSD-5 Trauma Screen Snapshot
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Brief 5-item PTSD screen for the past month after a frightening, horrible, or traumatic event.

  • Answer the trauma gate first. If it is No, the official screen ends there.
  • If the gate is Yes, the five symptom items score automatically from 0 to 5.
  • Your responses stay in this browser and the finished report keeps both common cut-points visible: 3+ and 4+.
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PC-PTSD-5 screen total

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What this result suggests

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Cut-point context
Cut-point Current result Distance Meaning here
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Recommended next actions
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Current review facts
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Higher-scored focus

These are the symptom items currently carrying the screen signal.

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Yes

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No symptom items were endorsed on this run.

Lower-scored anchors

These items were not endorsed and help show what is quieter right now.

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No

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The screen completed at the trauma gate, so the five symptom items were not asked.

When to seek support

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Response ledger

Export the trauma gate and item-level responses as a simple follow-up record.

# Prompt Domain Response Score Review note
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JSON record

Use this if you want the same completed result in a machine-readable format.


            

        


    



                

                

                    

                        

                            Tags:
                                                            
                                    Diagnostics
                                
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                                    Psychology
                                
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                                    Psychometrics
                                
                                                                                    

                        

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Posttraumatic stress disorder screening in primary care has to be brief enough for routine visits while still separating likely trauma-related symptoms from general stress, grief, or burnout. The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5, usually shortened to PC-PTSD-5, was built for that first pass. It is a short screen for probable PTSD after a frightening, horrible, or traumatic event.


    
The instrument starts with a trauma exposure question before it counts any symptoms. That first branch matters. If the answer is No, the official screen ends there. If the answer is Yes, five yes-or-no questions ask about symptoms during the past month, including unwanted memories, avoidance, hypervigilance or startle, numbness or detachment, and guilt or blame linked to the event.


    

      Flow diagram showing the trauma gate, the official stop-at-zero branch, the five symptom-item branch, and the 3+ and 4+ cut-point comparison.
    


    
That structure means a score of 0 can arise in two different ways: the official stop rule can apply after a No trauma gate, or all five symptom items can be asked after a Yes trauma gate and none are endorsed. PC-PTSD-5 is therefore most useful when the score is read together with the branch that produced it.


    
The screen is informational and is not a clinical diagnosis. A positive result means probable PTSD should be assessed further, preferably with a structured interview or another validated measure. A lower score does not prove that trauma-related symptoms are absent if sleep, concentration, relationships, work, or safety are already being affected.

  






  

    
Technical Details:


    
PC-PTSD-5 uses a simple count score, but the count sits inside a branching rule. The opening question asks about lifetime exposure to an event the respondent experienced as frightening, horrible, or traumatic. If that answer is No, the instrument records 0/5 and stops. If that answer is Yes, each of the five symptom questions contributes one point for Yes and zero points for No.


    
The fifth symptom item was added in the DSM-5 revision to capture guilt or blame related to the event. The rest of the screen covers intrusion, avoidance, hypervigilance or startle, and numbness or detachment. None of these items is weighted more heavily than the others, so the screen total is a straight count rather than a severity-weighted scale.


    
In compact form, the score works like this:


    

      
        
          
            S
            =
            0
            if the trauma gate is No
          
          
            S
            =
            x1+x2+x3+x4+x5
            if the trauma gate is Yes and each item is 0 or 1
          
        
      
    


    
The symbol S is the screen total. Each x term is one symptom item scored as 1 for Yes and 0 for No. The resulting total can only range from 0 to 5.


    

      

        
        
          

            Component
            What it asks
            Score contribution
            Why it matters
          

        
        
          

            Trauma gate
            Whether a frightening, horrible, or traumatic event occurred
            No ends the screen at 0/5; Yes opens the five symptom items
            Distinguishes a formal stop rule from a fully scored low-symptom result
          

          

            Nightmares or unwanted memories
            Intrusion symptoms during the past month
            Yes = 1, No = 0
            Flags uninvited memories or trauma-related dreams
          

          

            Avoidance of reminders
            Efforts to avoid thoughts, places, or situations tied to the event
            Yes = 1, No = 0
            Shows whether daily routines are shrinking around trauma reminders
          

          

            Hypervigilance or startle
            Being constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled
            Yes = 1, No = 0
            Captures persistent threat-alert behavior
          

          

            Numbness or detachment
            Feeling cut off from people, activities, or surroundings
            Yes = 1, No = 0
            Signals emotional disconnection rather than only fear
          

          

            Guilt or blame loop
            Guilt or blame linked to the event or its consequences
            Yes = 1, No = 0
            Reflects the DSM-5 addition that broadened the older four-item version
          

        
      

    


    
Cut-point choice changes how the same total is read. National Center for PTSD guidance notes that a cut-point of 4 best balanced false negatives and false positives in a large VA primary care sample. The same research still supports 3 as the more sensitive threshold, and it notes that some groups, including women in that validation study, may require a lower cut-point. That is why scores of 3 and 4 should not be treated as interchangeable.


    

      

        
        
          

            State
            Boundary
            Interpretation
            Usual follow-up meaning
          

        
        
          

            Gate-stop result
            Trauma gate = No
            The official instrument ends before the five symptom items are scored
            A 0/5 here means the stop rule applied, not that the full symptom set was negative
          

          

            Below both common cut-points
            0 to 2/5 after a Yes trauma gate
            Negative screen on both 3+ and 4+ interpretations
            Trauma-related distress can still need follow-up if symptoms are persistent or disruptive
          

          

            Threshold-split case
            3/5 after a Yes trauma gate
            Positive at 3+, below 4+
            The screening goal and clinic policy determine whether this is treated as a positive screen
          

          

            Positive at both common cut-points
            4 to 5/5 after a Yes trauma gate
            Positive under both threshold views
            Supports moving to fuller PTSD assessment rather than repeating the brief screener alone
          

        
      

    


    
The result labels stay faithful to that logic. The total is still just a count, but the report keeps the trauma gate, both cut-points, and the endorsed symptom areas visible together so the screen is harder to overread.

  






  

    
Everyday Use & Decision Guide:


    
Start with the trauma gate and answer it literally. If the event exposure answer is No, do not reinterpret the 0/5 result as a low symptom score. In the finished report, that branch is shown clearly as a gate-stop completion because the official instrument never moved into the five symptom items.


    
    
      
  • Read PC-PTSD-5 Trauma Screen Snapshot, Overall lane, and Cutoff context together before deciding what the total means.
    • 
      
  • When the summary shows 3+: Positive and 4+: Below, slow down. That exact 3/5 pattern is the main threshold-split case.
    • 
      
  • Use Higher-scored focus to see which symptom areas are carrying the signal instead of talking only about the total.
    • 
      
  • Before sharing or saving the run, scan the Response ledger so the trauma gate and item-level answers match what you intended to record.
    • 
    


    
For a first pass, leave Follow-up lens on Screening snapshot. Switch it to Primary care handoff when you want the guidance written for a referral or clinic conversation, or to Repeat follow-up when you are comparing repeated runs over time. That setting only changes the wording of the next-step guidance. It does not change the trauma gate, the 0 to 5 total, or the 3+ and 4+ comparisons.


    
If the score looks milder than the person's lived experience, check the branch first and the endorsed items second. A 1/5 or 2/5 result after a Yes trauma gate can still matter when the same endorsed items keep returning or daily functioning is slipping. The report helps with that by keeping Higher-scored focus, Lower-scored anchors, and Recommended next actions on the same report.


    
If someone is unsure about one symptom item, it is better to pause than guess. The progress bar and question navigator make incomplete runs obvious, and the main result panel does not fully appear until the required prompts are finished. Once the answers are stable, the chart, response ledger, and JSON record can all travel with the same final run.


    
The most useful next step usually comes from one concrete output, not from the headline number alone. If Recommended next actions still feels too broad, go back to Higher-scored focus and name the endorsed symptom areas in the follow-up conversation.

  






  

    
Step-by-Step Guide:


    
This assessment flow follows the official PC-PTSD-5 sequence, then adds a review surface around the finished score.


    
    
      
  1. Press Begin Assessment and answer the trauma gate first. If you choose No, expect the run to finish as a gate-stop result with an official total of 0/5.
    2. 
      
  2. If the trauma gate is Yes, answer the five symptom items in the past-month frame. The progress bar and question navigator show how many prompts are complete and which ones still need attention.
    3. 
      
  3. If PC-PTSD-5 Trauma Screen Snapshot is not visible yet, the run is still incomplete. Use the question navigator to return to the unchecked item rather than reading a partial result.
    4. 
      
  4. Open Advanced only if you want a different Follow-up lens. Screening snapshot, Primary care handoff, and Repeat follow-up change the guidance language but not the score.
    5. 
      
  5. Read PC-PTSD-5 screen total, What this result suggests, and the Cut-point context table together. That combination shows whether the run stopped at the gate, fell below both thresholds, landed at the 3/5 split case, or screened positive at both 3+ and 4+.
    6. 
      
  6. Review Higher-scored focus, Lower-scored anchors, and Recommended next actions to turn the score into a more specific follow-up discussion.
    7. 
      
  7. Copy or download the Response ledger, chart exports, or JSON record only after the trauma gate, item responses, and threshold labels all look correct. That keeps every saved artifact tied to the same finished run.
    8. 
    

  






  

    
Interpreting Results:


    
The first question is not "What is the number?" but "Which branch produced the number?" A gate-stop 0/5 and a fully scored 0/5 do not mean the same thing. Once the branch is clear, the common interpretation patterns are straightforward.


    
    
      
  • Trauma gate = No: the official screen stopped before symptom scoring, so 0/5 reflects the stop rule.
    • 
      
  • 0 to 2/5 after a Yes trauma gate: below both common cut-points, but not a stand-alone rule-out if endorsed items keep affecting daily life.
    • 
      
  • Exactly 3/5: positive at the more sensitive 3+ threshold and below the more balanced 4+ threshold.
    • 
      
  • 4 or 5/5: positive at both common cut-points and a stronger reason to move to fuller PTSD assessment.
    • 
    


    
The main false-confidence trap is reading the total without the trauma gate, the cut-point labels, and the endorsed items. A positive screen does not diagnose PTSD, and a lower screen total does not cancel out distress that is persistent, disruptive, or safety-related. Before trusting the follow-up wording, verify that Trauma gate, Endorsed items, and Higher-scored focus match what you meant to answer.


    
If you need one quick verification cue, use the cutoff rows rather than the chart alone. The table spells out whether the total is above, at, or below 3+ and 4+, which is usually the most important interpretation check in this instrument.

  






  

    
Worked Examples:


    

      
A gate-stop result that is not a low symptom score

      
A respondent answers the trauma gate No because their current distress is serious but not tied to an event they recognize as frightening, horrible, or traumatic. The summary immediately shows PC-PTSD-5 Trauma Screen Snapshot as 0/5, Overall lane as a gate-stop completion, and the review facts note that the symptom items asked were 0 of 5. The correct interpretation is not "all five PTSD items were negative." It is "the official PC-PTSD-5 stopped at the gate, so another kind of follow-up may be more appropriate."

    


    

      
Three endorsed items and the threshold-split case

      
Another respondent answers the trauma gate Yes, then endorses Nightmares or unwanted memories, Avoidance of reminders, and Hypervigilance or startle, while answering No to Numbness or detachment and Guilt or blame loop. The report shows 3/5, labels 3+: Positive and 4+: Below, and lists those three areas in Higher-scored focus. This is the classic split case: the run is positive under the more sensitive cut-point, but the setting still needs to decide whether 3/5 is enough to trigger the next assessment step.

    


    

      
A clear positive handoff

      
A third respondent answers the trauma gate Yes and endorses nightmares, avoidance, hypervigilance, and guilt or blame, with numbness answered No. With Follow-up lens set to Primary care handoff, the report shows 4/5, Overall lane as positive at 3+ and 4+, and Recommended next actions shifts toward clinician follow-up wording. Here the number and the endorsed-item pattern both point in the same direction: the result is serving as a handoff aid into fuller PTSD evaluation, not as a stand-alone diagnosis.

    


    

      
When the result panel is missing because the run is incomplete

      
Someone answers the trauma gate Yes, then marks Nightmares or unwanted memories as Yes, Avoidance of reminders as No, and Hypervigilance or startle as Yes, but leaves the last two items unanswered. The progress line shows 4/6 answered and the main summary has not appeared yet. After using the navigator to finish Numbness or detachment = No and Guilt or blame loop = No, the run completes as 2/5 with both cut-points below threshold. That is the correct fix for an incomplete run: finish the missing prompts rather than treating the missing chart as a blank or broken result.

    

  






  

    
Responsible Use Note:

    
This screen is informational and should support, not replace, professional diagnosis or treatment. If the result fits severe distress, ongoing violence, thoughts of self-harm, or any other immediate safety concern, move to urgent human help rather than waiting for another screening step.

  






  

    
FAQ:


    

      Is 3/5 a positive screen here?
      
It is positive at the more sensitive 3+ threshold and below the more balanced 4+ threshold. The report keeps both labels visible because the correct interpretation depends on the screening goal and the setting using the result.

    


    

      Why does 0/5 sometimes mean no symptom items were asked?
      
That happens when the trauma gate is answered No. In PC-PTSD-5, that answer ends the official screen immediately, so the total becomes 0/5 by stop rule rather than by scoring five symptom answers.

    


    

      Does a score below 3 rule out PTSD?
      
No. It means the run fell below the common 3+ and 4+ cut-points, but it does not erase trauma-related distress. If the same endorsed items keep returning, or if sleep, concentration, relationships, work, or safety are being affected, a lower screen can still justify further assessment.

    


    

      What does Follow-up lens change?
      
Only the wording of the guidance. Screening snapshot, Primary care handoff, and Repeat follow-up do not change the trauma gate, the 0 to 5 score, the endorsed items, or the 3+ and 4+ comparisons.

    


    

      Why am I not seeing the score chart or response ledger yet?
      
The main result surfaces appear only after the required prompts are complete. If the trauma gate is unanswered, or if one of the five symptom items is still pending after a Yes trauma gate, the progress bar and question navigator will show that the run is incomplete.

    


    

      Are my answers sent to a server?
      
The scoring and report logic run in the browser, and there is no dedicated server-side scoring step for this assessment. However, the state is mirrored into URL query parameters and any CSV, DOCX, image, or JSON export will carry the same trauma-related answers shown on screen, so shared links and saved files should be treated as sensitive.

    

  






  

    
Glossary:


    

      
Trauma gate

      
The opening exposure question that decides whether the five symptom items are scored.


      
Screen total

      
The count of Yes responses across the five symptom items, from 0 to 5.


      
Cut-point

      
The score threshold used to decide whether the screen is treated as positive.


      
Endorsed item

      
A symptom question answered Yes on the completed run.


      
Hypervigilance

      
A state of staying on guard or scanning for threat in a way that is hard to switch off.


      
Structured interview

      
A fuller clinician-led assessment that follows a formal set of PTSD diagnostic questions.

    

  






  

    
References: