4-item PCL-5
The shortest form, for brief screening and repeated check-ins.
- B1
- C2
- D2
- E4
Tools & resources
Abbreviated PCL-5
We investigated whether a subset of items from the PCL-5 could perform similarly to the full scale, and found evidence for 4- and 8-item versions. Download the measures below, along with a formula to convert an 8-item score to a full-scale estimate.
Choose a version
8-item PCL-5
Adds four items and can be converted to an estimated full PCL-5 total with the calculator below.
- B1
- B4
- C1
- C2
- D2
- D5
- E4
- E5
The Word document contains both versions.
Score calculator
Enter the 8-item responses to estimate the full 20-item PCL-5 total.
In the past month, how much were you bothered by:
How the conversion works
Zoe Brier developed a formula to convert a score on the 8-item PCL-5 to a comparable score on the full PCL-5 (Brier & Price, 2020). Each item response is multiplied by its weight and the results are added together. The estimate is typically within 3–4 points of the full-scale total.
Total PCL-5 =
- B1× 2.15
- B4× 1.78
- C1× 1.79
- C2× 1.35
- D2× 3.03
- D5× 2.96
- E4× 2.88
- E5× 2.53
References
Investigation of an abbreviated 4 and 8 item version of the PTSD Checklist 5.
Price, M., Szafranski, D. D., van Stolk-Cooke, K., & Gros, D. F. (2016). Psychiatry Research, 239, 124–130.
Method to convert an 8-item PCL-5 score to a total PCL-5 score: A scaled equation analysis.
Brier, Z. M. F., & Price, M. (2020). Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science.