You answered a few questions about trauma and got a score between 0 and 5. The PC-PTSD-5 (Primary Care PTSD Screen) is designed to quickly identify whether you might have PTSD that warrants a more thorough evaluation. Here's what your score means.
The quick answer
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 0 | No trauma reported, or no PTSD symptoms |
| 1-2 | Below screening threshold; PTSD unlikely |
| 3 | Possible PTSD; further assessment recommended |
| 4-5 | Probable PTSD; clinical evaluation recommended |
A score of 3 or higher is considered a "positive screen." This means your symptoms warrant a more complete PTSD assessment—not that you definitely have PTSD.
How the PC-PTSD-5 works
The screening has two parts:
First: You're asked whether you've experienced a traumatic event—something frightening, horrible, or traumatic like an accident, assault, disaster, combat, witnessing violence, or losing someone to homicide or suicide.
Then: If you answered yes to trauma exposure, you're asked 5 yes/no questions about the past month:
1. Nightmares or unwanted memories of the event
2. Trying to avoid thoughts or reminders of the event
3. Being constantly on guard, watchful, or easily startled
4. Feeling numb or detached from people or surroundings
5. Feeling guilty or blaming yourself or others
Your score is the number of "yes" answers to those 5 questions.
What each question measures
The 5 questions sample the four main symptom clusters of PTSD:
Intrusion (Question 1) — The trauma comes back when you don't want it to: nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive memories. This is the hallmark "re-experiencing" aspect of PTSD.
Avoidance (Question 2) — Deliberately staying away from thoughts, feelings, or reminders of the trauma. Avoidance is one reason PTSD persists—it prevents processing the trauma.
Hyperarousal (Question 3) — Your nervous system stays on high alert: always scanning for danger, easily startled, on edge. Your body acts like the threat is still present.
Negative changes (Questions 4-5) — Emotional numbing, detachment from others, feeling disconnected from your life. Guilt and self-blame about what happened.
These five questions efficiently cover the key symptom areas without asking all 20 questions on the full PTSD assessment (PCL-5).
What to do based on your score
Score 0 (no trauma or no symptoms)
If you said no to the trauma question, the screen stops there—you get a score of 0. If you said yes to trauma but no to all 5 symptom questions, you also score 0.
Either way, this suggests PTSD is unlikely right now. No further screening is needed unless something changes or you're concerned.
Score 1-2 (below threshold)
You endorsed 1 or 2 symptoms but didn't meet the screening threshold. This doesn't mean the symptoms don't matter—they might still be worth discussing with a provider, especially if they're bothering you.
It also doesn't mean you definitely don't have PTSD. The PC-PTSD-5 is designed to catch most cases, but no screening tool is perfect.
Score 3 (positive screen — sensitive threshold)
Your score suggests possible PTSD. The next step is completing the full PCL-5, a 20-question assessment that evaluates all PTSD symptoms and their severity.
Why a score of 3? Research shows this cutoff catches about 95% of people who actually have PTSD. It's designed to minimize missed cases, even though it means some people who score 3 won't have PTSD on further evaluation.
Score 4-5 (positive screen — efficient threshold)
Your score strongly suggests PTSD. At this level, about 80-85% of people who score positive actually have PTSD when evaluated more thoroughly.
Next steps:
- Complete the PCL-5 for a fuller picture of symptom severity
- Consider seeking evaluation from a trauma-specialized mental health provider
- If symptoms are significantly affecting your life, don't wait—schedule an appointment
Why two cutoff scores?
You might see references to both "≥3" and "≥4" as cutoffs. Here's why:
Cutoff of 3 (sensitive): Catches 95% of PTSD cases but also flags some people who don't have PTSD. Use when missing cases is the bigger concern.
Cutoff of 4 (efficient): Catches 83% of PTSD cases with fewer false positives. Better balance between catching cases and not over-referring.
For individual screening, either cutoff is reasonable. If you scored 3, it's still worth following up.
What the PC-PTSD-5 doesn't tell you
It doesn't diagnose PTSD. A positive screen means "further evaluation recommended," not "you have PTSD." Diagnosis requires a more comprehensive assessment.
It doesn't measure severity. The PC-PTSD-5 uses yes/no questions. Someone with severe nightmares every night and someone with occasional bad dreams both answer "yes." The PCL-5 captures severity better.
It doesn't cover all PTSD symptoms. PTSD has 20 diagnostic criteria across 4 clusters. The PC-PTSD-5 samples 5 of them. That's efficient for screening but not sufficient for diagnosis.
It doesn't assess trauma type or timing. The screening doesn't ask what happened, when it happened, or how long symptoms have been present—all relevant for diagnosis and treatment planning.
The relationship to PCL-5
The PC-PTSD-5 and PCL-5 are both developed by the National Center for PTSD and work together:
| Tool | Questions | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| PC-PTSD-5 | 5 | Quick screen to identify who needs further evaluation |
| PCL-5 | 20 | Comprehensive assessment of all PTSD symptoms |
If your PC-PTSD-5 was positive, completing the PCL-5 makes sense. It takes longer (5-10 minutes) but gives a much more detailed picture of your symptoms.
Common questions
I experienced trauma but scored 0-2. Does that mean I'm fine?
It means you didn't endorse enough symptoms in the past month to screen positive for PTSD. But:
- You might have subclinical symptoms that still affect you
- PTSD symptoms can emerge or worsen over time
- Some people have trauma-related problems that don't fit the PTSD pattern
If you're struggling despite a low score, talk to a provider.
I scored positive but I don't think I have PTSD.
That's possible. About 30% of people who score positive at the ≥3 cutoff don't have PTSD on thorough evaluation. The screen is designed to be sensitive (catch most cases), which means it also catches some people who don't have the disorder.
Does it matter what kind of trauma I experienced?
For the screening, no—the questions are the same regardless of trauma type. But trauma type matters for treatment planning. Combat trauma, sexual assault, car accidents, and childhood abuse may all lead to PTSD but often benefit from somewhat different treatment approaches.
Should I take this before seeing a trauma therapist?
It can be useful to have data when you start treatment, but don't let screening delay getting help. If you know you're struggling after trauma, you don't need a specific score to seek care.
How is this different from other PTSD screens?
The PC-PTSD-5 was designed specifically for primary care settings—quick, easy, and efficient. It's not more or less accurate than other screens; it's optimized for busy medical settings where a 20-question assessment isn't practical.
When to seek help regardless of score
Contact a mental health provider if:
- Trauma symptoms are interfering with work, relationships, or daily life
- You're having nightmares or flashbacks that feel overwhelming
- You're using alcohol or drugs to cope with trauma memories
- You're avoiding more and more of your life to stay away from reminders
- You're having thoughts of hurting yourself
You don't need a specific score to deserve help.
The bottom line
The PC-PTSD-5 answers one question: "Should this person have a more thorough PTSD evaluation?" A score of 0-2 suggests probably not; a score of 3 or higher suggests yes. If you screened positive, complete the PCL-5 or talk to a mental health provider. The PC-PTSD-5 can't diagnose PTSD or measure how severe it is—it's a quick screen designed to identify who needs a closer look.
Related assessments
- PCL-5 — The full 20-question PTSD assessment (take this if your PC-PTSD-5 was positive)
- PHQ-9 — Depression screening (commonly co-occurs with PTSD)
- GAD-7 — Anxiety screening
- ACE — Childhood trauma history (different from current PTSD symptoms)