Screening assumes an index event
These items only make sense in reference to a specific traumatic experience. Clinical versions start by asking whether such an event occurred at all; if it did not, the screener is not administered. Distress without a trauma history is better assessed with anxiety and depression tools.
PTSD is highly treatable
Trauma-focused therapies — prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, and EMDR — have strong evidence and typically run 8 to 16 sessions. The gap between screening positive and getting treatment is usually years, and closing that gap is the entire point of a five-question tool.
FAQ
What is a positive PTSD screen?
Three or more yes answers out of five is the standard positive threshold on brief primary-care screeners.
Can this diagnose PTSD?
No. Diagnosis requires a structured clinical interview that establishes the index event, symptom duration over a month, and functional impairment.
What if the event was a long time ago?
PTSD can present with delayed onset and can persist for years. The screener asks about symptoms in the past month regardless of when the event happened.
How this calculator is built
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Written by Sam Doshi and the RevenueLab editorial team. We don't sell the data feeds this tool is built on.
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See our editorial policy and disclaimer. Results are estimates, not advice.