Brief trauma response screen (PC-PTSD-5)
A brief look at responses after a difficult experience. Answer the app’s questionnaire and see your result right away.
Source · Prins A, Bovin MJ, Smolenski DJ, et al. The Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5). J Gen Intern Med. 2016;31(10):1206–1211. US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD.
PC-PTSD-5 trauma screen: reading the five questions
The PC-PTSD-5 is a primary care screen for post-traumatic stress published in 2016 by Prins and colleagues at the US Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD. After a question about lifetime exposure to a traumatic event, it asks five questions matched to DSM-5: nightmares or unwanted thoughts about the event, trying hard to avoid reminders, being constantly on guard or easily startled, feeling numb or detached from people and activities, and feeling guilty or blaming yourself. You answer yes or no for the past month.
Reading your results
Each yes scores 1, for a total of 0–5. The result screen shows 0–2 as below the screening threshold and 3–5 as further assessment suggested. At 3 or more, the next step is the more detailed PCL-5 or a conversation with a professional. A diagnosis is made in a clinical conversation. Even with a low score, if the event is still unsettling your daily life, that alone is a reason to talk with someone.
A question to reflect on
Among the questions you answered yes, pick the one that affected this month most. Write one thing you stopped doing or one place you started avoiding because of it. It makes it easier to say what you want to get back.
Frequently asked questions
- How many questions are in Brief trauma response screen (PC-PTSD-5), and how long does it take?
- There are 5 questions, and it usually takes about 1 minute. For each question you choose one of 2 answers, from “No” to “Yes”. There are no right or wrong answers.
- What counts as a frightening or horrible experience?
- Think of experiences that felt like a serious threat to you, such as an accident, violence, disaster or a sudden death you went through or witnessed. What matters is how frightening it was for you, not how others might see it.
- Are yes/no answers enough to mean anything?
- The PC-PTSD-5 was designed as a quick first screen in clinics, so yes/no works for that purpose. The PCL-5 shows how strong each symptom is.
- It happened a long time ago. Should I still take it?
- Yes, if it still affects you. The questions ask whether you had nightmares, avoidance and the rest in the past month, whenever the event happened.
- Do I need to sign in? Are my answers saved?
- You can see your results right away without signing in. Your answers are used only for scoring and are not stored on our servers.
- Can I bring these results into a counseling session?
- Use the analysis button at the bottom of the result screen to have a short conversation with Maeumi without signing in. After the conversation, you can continue in the app. The web conversation does not transfer automatically to the app.
- Can I share my results with a friend?
- Yes. Use Share at the top right of the result screen to send a friend the check itself, or share your result as a link or story image. A result link carries your scores inside the address only; it does not include your name or account, and nothing is saved on our side.