Gate-First Interpretation
The trauma exposure gate controls whether the five symptom responses are interpreted as probable PTSD risk.
Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5)
Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) is a very brief adult PTSD screening tool for health, behavioral health, social-service, primary care, and intake practitioners. It helps practitioners determine whether an adult who endorses trauma exposure shows probable PTSD risk so they can decide whether further assessment, referral, or support planning is needed.
Try a sample PC-PTSD-5 screen
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Tool guide
Learn more about this tool
Use this background section to understand when the tool fits, how practitioners use it, and what to consider before sharing it with clients.
What the Score Means
The score is the count of endorsed symptom items from 0 to 5 and is interpreted against the active cut point shown in the result.
Important Limits
PC-PTSD-5 is not a diagnosis, structured interview, full trauma history, treatment plan, or general mental health assessment.
Does PC-PTSD-5 diagnose PTSD?
No. PC-PTSD-5 identifies probable PTSD risk and positive screens require further assessment rather than diagnosis.
What happens if the trauma gate is not endorsed?
Symptom risk is not interpreted as probable PTSD risk when the trauma exposure gate is not endorsed.
Can the cut point be changed?
Only if source-supported guidance permits valid contextual cut-point selection. Otherwise the cut point is fixed for the tool.
What is saved from the demo?
The PC-PTSD-5 tool and supported reusable settings are saved. Fictional responses, scores, and demo notes are not saved as real client data.