PCL-5 Past-Month Brief
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PCL-5 is a 20-item past-month PTSD symptom check-in that keeps the standard 0 to 80 scoring and DSM-5 cluster rule intact.

  • Answer each item based on the past month.
  • Your responses stay in this browser unless you choose to export the finished report.
  • The finished brief keeps the common 31 to 33 cut-point window and cluster-rule summary visible.
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PCL-5 score position gauge

This keeps the total on the original 0 to 80 scale while marking the common 31+ to 33+ screening window used in practice.

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Cluster pattern radar

The four DSM-5 symptom clusters stay separate here so the leading pattern is visible before you read the rule counts and item details below.

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Primary interpretation

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Method context

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Monitoring note

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Conversation prompts
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Higher and lower scored items
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Current scoring cues
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Tags: Diagnostics , Psychology , Psychometrics
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The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, usually shortened to PCL-5, is a 20-item self-report checklist for PTSD symptoms during the past month. It is commonly used for screening, provisional diagnostic support, and repeat monitoring, but it is not the same as a clinical diagnosis or a trauma interview.

This version keeps the standard scoring intact. It adds the 20 answers into a total from 0 to 80, shows the common 31 to 33 cut-point window, and separately tests the DSM-5 cluster rule that counts items rated 2 or higher. That makes it easier to see when the overall score and the symptom pattern point in the same direction, and when they do not.

Diagram showing 20 PCL-5 items feeding a 0 to 80 total plus 31+, 33+, and the 2+ cluster rule.
The tool keeps the official PCL-5 total with the DSM-5 endorsed-item rule, then adds monitoring and export helpers around them.

The extra views matter because the same total can come from very different symptom patterns. One person may be carried mostly by intrusion and arousal. Another may be driven by avoidance, guilt, detachment, or sleep disruption. The score gauge, cluster radar, threshold cards, and item tables make those differences visible before you save a brief or compare the result with an earlier run.

Use the result as a structured symptom summary, not as a stand-alone diagnosis, treatment plan, or safety decision. If symptoms are making you feel unsafe, or there is immediate danger or a medical emergency, use direct human help right away rather than waiting on a questionnaire.

Technical Details:

PCL-5 uses 20 questions scored from 0 to 4, where 0 means Not at all and 4 means Extremely. The formal total is the sum of all 20 answers, so the minimum is 0 and the maximum is 80. The same answers can also be grouped into the four DSM-5 symptom clusters: B intrusion, C avoidance, D negative mood and cognition, and E arousal and reactivity.

Total = ∑ i = 1 20 q i Endorsed symptom = item score ≥ 2 Monitoring delta = current total - previous total
Component Construction Range or rule Where it appears here
Total score Sum of all 20 item scores 0 to 80 PCL-5 score position gauge, summary badges, and the threshold cards.
Cluster totals Sum within B, C, D, and E item groups B 0 to 20, C 0 to 8, D 0 to 28, E 0 to 24 Cluster pattern radar, cluster cards, and the JSON export.
Cluster rule Items scored 2 or higher count as endorsed symptoms B ≥ 1, C ≥ 1, D ≥ 2, E ≥ 2 Cluster rule badges, threshold card, interpretation text, and exports.
Question ledger All 20 prompts with response label and item score Complete run only The response table, row-copy action, CSV or DOCX exports, and the JSON record.

The two main screening landmarks are the same ones described in National Center for PTSD guidance. A total between 31 and 33 is a commonly used probable-PTSD window, with the lower end used when broader case detection matters more and the higher end used when a more conservative screen is preferred. The same guidance also notes that cut-point scoring usually performs more reliably than the cluster rule alone, so this tool keeps the total score in front rather than hiding it behind the DSM-5 pattern check.

Helper Actual rule used here What it changes
31+ lane The total is marked as reached once the score is 31 or higher. Keeps the lower edge of the common provisional window visible.
33+ lane The total is marked as reached once the score is 33 or higher. Keeps the stricter edge of the same window visible.
Change vs previous A prior total can be entered only as a whole number from 0 to 80. The tool rounds and clamps invalid entries, then subtracts that score from the current total. Adds the change card and the Monitoring note. A shift of 10 points or more is highlighted as the clearest response marker.
Report lens Screening snapshot, Repeat monitoring, and Visit preparation use the same scoring rules. Only the follow-up wording changes.
Main impact area You can point the prompts toward general function, sleep and arousal, work or school, relationships, or safety and self-control. Only the action prompts and conversation prompts change.

The tool intentionally avoids mild, moderate, or severe labels for the total score. National Center for PTSD guidance notes that there are no empirically derived severity ranges for PCL-5 totals, so the page stays with cut points, cluster counts, and change over time instead.

Everyday Use & Decision Guide:

The best way to use PCL-5 is to keep the recall window fixed to the same past month each time. That sounds simple, but it is what makes repeated totals comparable. If one run reflects the past month and the next run reflects only the last few stressful days, the change card can look precise while actually mixing two different timeframes.

Start with the short summary instead of the exports or the item table. The PCL-5 Past-Month Brief shows the total, the active cut-point badges, the cluster-rule status, the leading cluster, and any loaded comparison with a previous total. That is the quickest place to see whether the main signal comes from the total score, the endorsed-item pattern, or both.

  • If both 31+ or 33+ and Cluster rule are reached, the screen is pointing more strongly toward fuller PTSD assessment.
  • If the total reaches the common window but Cluster rule stays open, the score still matters, but the missing cluster counts should temper how certain you feel.
  • If Cluster rule is met while 31+ stays below threshold, treat that as a mixed result rather than as a clean equivalent to clearing the cut-point window.
  • If a previous total is loaded, read Change vs previous only when that earlier number came from another complete PCL-5 with the same past-month frame.

The cluster views explain what the total is made of. Cluster pattern radar, the four cluster cards, and Higher and lower scored items show whether the burden is being carried by intrusion, avoidance, negative mood and cognition, or arousal and reactivity. Two people can land on the same total and still need very different follow-up conversations if one is dominated by nightmares and reminders while the other is dominated by guilt, detachment, anger, or sleep problems.

The advanced controls are practical labels, not new scoring systems. Report lens only changes how the follow-up text is phrased. Main impact area only changes the action prompts. Those options are most helpful when you want a visit-ready summary or a repeat-monitoring note without changing the official PCL-5 math.

Step-by-Step Guide:

The easiest path is to finish the full checklist first, then read the threshold summary, then inspect the symptom pattern.

  1. Press Begin Assessment and answer each question using the past month as the only recall frame. The progress bar and question navigator help you move through all 20 items without losing your place.
  2. Keep going until the progress bar reaches 100% and the PCL-5 Past-Month Brief appears. If the summary cards, charts, or exports are still missing, at least one item is still unanswered in the navigator.
  3. Open Advanced only if you need follow-up framing. Use Report lens, Previous PCL-5 total, and Main impact area as needed. If the previous-total field changes after you type a value, that is expected: the tool keeps whole-number totals from 0 to 80 only.
  4. Read Primary interpretation, Monitoring note, 31+ lane, 33+ lane, and Cluster rule before reading the full answer table. Those fields tell you whether the main signal is the total, the endorsed-item pattern, or a change from an earlier run.
  5. Use Cluster pattern radar, the four cluster cards, Higher and lower scored items, and Current scoring cues to see which symptoms are carrying the burden and which cluster is most prominent.
  6. Save only what you need. The tool can copy a brief, export a DOCX brief, download chart images or chart CSV files, export the response ledger as CSV or DOCX, and copy or download the structured JSON record.

When you repeat the checklist later, keep the same past-month frame and compare against another complete PCL-5 total rather than a rough memory of how bad things felt.

Interpreting Results:

The result is strongest when the total score, the cluster rule, and the highest-scored symptoms all point in the same direction. In official guidance, the cut-point method usually deserves more weight than the cluster rule alone, so the safest reading starts with the total and then checks whether the endorsed-item pattern supports it.

Output pattern How to read it What to verify next
33+ reached and Cluster rule met A strong screening signal for fuller PTSD assessment, not a diagnosis by itself. Check trauma history, functional impact, duration, and a clinician review.
31+ reached but Cluster rule open The total has entered the common window, but one cluster is still short on endorsed items. Review the cluster counts and the top-scored items before deciding how persuasive the screen feels.
31+ below and Cluster rule met A mixed screen. The DSM-5 pattern is present, but the total stays below the most common cut-point window. Check which items are carrying the pattern and whether the same symptoms are impairing daily function.
31+ below and Cluster rule open Below the common screening window. That does not rule out trauma-related symptoms or future change. Read the highest-scored items and decide whether symptoms still warrant follow-up or repeat monitoring.

The monitoring readout should also stay modest. The tool treats a 10-point shift as the clearest response marker, and it adds an extra note when a downward shift also moves the total below 28. That comparison is meaningful only when both totals come from complete PCL-5 runs collected with the same instructions and the same past-month frame.

The main false-confidence trap is treating a high score as if it settles diagnosis or treating a low score as if it proves PTSD is absent. Correct that by checking the response ledger, the leading cluster, and the fit between the questionnaire pattern and the real trauma context before you draw a firm conclusion.

Worked Examples:

A high total that clears both screening checks

Suppose the total is 36. The brief marks 31+ as reached, 33+ as reached, and Cluster rule as met because the B, C, D, and E counts all satisfy the 2+ endorsement rule. In that case the Primary interpretation is doing the right thing when it frames the result as a strong screening signal for fuller PTSD assessment rather than a final diagnosis.

A borderline total with one cluster still open

Now imagine a total of 32 with strong intrusion, mood, and arousal items but no avoidance item rated 2 or higher. The threshold cards show 31+ lane reached, 33+ lane below, and Cluster rule open. The score has entered the common window, but the answer table and cluster cards show exactly why the pattern is incomplete.

A repeat check that clears the change marker

If the previous total was 41 and the current total is 27, the context card becomes Change vs previous: Down 14. The Monitoring note then flags that the shift clears the 10-point response marker, and the tool adds that the current total is below 28. That does not erase the symptom burden, but it is a much stronger monitoring signal than a vague impression that things feel somewhat better.

The summary never appears

The progress bar shows 95%, but there is still no PCL-5 Past-Month Brief, no charts, and no exports. That means at least one question is still open. The fix is to use the question navigator, find the unanswered item, finish it, and then read the completed result after the progress bar reaches 100%.

Responsible Use Note:

PCL-5 is useful for screening, provisional diagnostic support, monitoring, and visit preparation. It is not a stand-alone diagnostic tool, and it is not a crisis screen. If answers raise immediate safety concerns, risk-taking concerns, or suicidal crisis, seek direct human help immediately instead of relying on the score.

FAQ:

Does clearing 31 or 33 mean PTSD is diagnosed?

No. Those cut points are screening landmarks for probable PTSD, not a replacement for trauma history, functional impairment review, duration, and clinical interview.

Why can Cluster rule be met when 31+ is still below threshold?

Because the two methods are measuring different things. The cut-point method adds the full symptom burden across all 20 items. The cluster rule only checks whether enough items reached 2 or higher in each DSM-5 group. Official guidance notes that the cut-point approach usually performs more reliably than the cluster rule alone.

Why did Previous PCL-5 total change after I typed it?

That field accepts whole-number PCL-5 totals from 0 to 80 only. If you type a decimal, a negative value, or a number above 80, the tool rounds or clamps it to the nearest valid total before calculating Change vs previous.

Are my answers stored on a server?

Routine scoring, chart building, and result generation happen in the browser, and this tool does not define its own server-side scoring path. The main privacy caution is sharing: the encoded answer string and settings are written into the page URL, and copied or downloaded exports can also expose sensitive information if you pass them along.

Can I save the result for a visit or later monitoring?

Yes. You can copy the brief, export a DOCX brief, save the chart images or chart CSV files, export the response ledger as CSV or DOCX, and copy or download the JSON record for a later comparison or discussion.

Why does the tool avoid mild, moderate, or severe score labels?

Because National Center for PTSD guidance notes that there are no empirically derived severity ranges for PCL-5 totals. This page therefore stays with cut points, cluster counts, and change markers instead.

Glossary:

PCL-5
The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, a 20-item self-report checklist for PTSD symptoms.
Cut point
A total-score threshold used to decide whether the checklist has entered a common screening range.
Cluster rule
The DSM-5 endorsed-item rule that requires B:1, C:1, D:2, and E:2 items scored 2 or higher.
Endorsed item
A PCL-5 item rated 2 or higher, which counts toward the DSM-5 cluster rule in this tool.
Provisional diagnosis
A screening-level diagnostic impression that still needs fuller clinical confirmation.
Response marker
A score change large enough to be treated as a stronger sign of movement during repeat monitoring.

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