Free Trauma Test: The PTSD Checklist (PCL-5)
This free trauma test uses the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the 20-question screening developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. Get your score instantly. Your answers never leave your device.
At a glance
- 20 questions, each rated from “Not at all” to “Extremely”
- 5 to 10 minutes to finish
- Built on the PCL-5 from the VA National Center for PTSD
- Private: scored in your browser. We never see, store, or email your answers.
- Results you can use: your score, four symptom-area scores, and where therapy would likely start
- For adults 18 and older
Take the free trauma test
This free trauma test uses the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the 20-question screening developed by the VA National Center for PTSD. It asks how much 20 common trauma symptoms have bothered you over the past month, then scores your answers instantly. Research puts the cutoff for probable PTSD at a score of 31 to 33.
Most online trauma quizzes ask five questions or fewer, and some aren’t based on any validated measure. This one uses the full checklist clinicians use, and our trauma therapists explain what your answers mean and where treatment would likely start.
Related reading: three trauma responses our therapists see often that a PTSD checklist won’t name directly: the fawn response, hyper-independence, and functional freeze.
What does this trauma test measure?
The PCL-5 measures the 20 symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) listed in the DSM-5, the manual clinicians use to diagnose mental health conditions. Those symptoms fall into four groups, and your results show a separate score for each one.
- Intrusive memories and reliving (questions 1–5): unwanted memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
- Avoidance (questions 6–7): steering clear of thoughts, feelings, people, or places connected to what happened
- Negative thoughts and mood (questions 8–14): gaps in memory, harsh beliefs about yourself or the world, self-blame, shame, lost interest, and feeling cut off from people
- Alertness and reactivity (questions 15–20): irritability, risky behavior, feeling constantly on guard, startling easily, and trouble concentrating or sleeping
Before the questions begin, you’ll bring one experience to mind: the one that still affects you most. Every question refers back to it. You never have to write it down or share it.
How is the PCL-5 scored?
Each answer is worth 0 to 4 points, so total scores range from 0 to 80. The VA National Center for PTSD reports that a score between 31 and 33 indicates probable PTSD. Our test reads your total in three bands:
- Below 31: below the screening cutoff
- 31 or 32: right at the threshold, where research draws the line
- 33 or higher: above the cutoff, and a strong reason to get a full evaluation
We also check your answers against the DSM-5 symptom pattern, the second scoring method the VA describes. That pattern needs at least one intrusion symptom, one avoidance symptom, two mood symptoms, and two arousal symptoms rated “Moderately” or higher. Your results tell you whether your answers fit it.
How accurate is this trauma test?
The PCL-5 is one of the most closely studied PTSD questionnaires in use. In VA research comparing it with structured clinical interviews, scores of 31 to 33 were the most accurate cutoffs for identifying PTSD (Bovin et al., 2016). A 2023 systematic review of PCL-5 research found consistent reliability across studies and supported the same 31 to 33 range.
That makes it a strong screening tool, and a screening tool only. Like any screening, it will flag some people who turn out not to have PTSD and miss some who do. That’s why a clinician’s evaluation is the next step after a high score.
Our version keeps all 20 of the VA’s questions word for word and follows the VA’s scoring guidance. We added two optional questions at the start about the timing and type of your experience. They shape how we explain your results, and they never change your score.
How our therapists read your results
A score is a starting point. When one of our trauma therapists looks at a completed PCL-5, here’s what we pay attention to.
The pattern matters as much as the total. Your four area scores show where symptoms concentrate, and that shapes where therapy begins. Strong reliving symptoms often point toward trauma-processing approaches like EMDR or Brainspotting. When feeling on guard and poor sleep lead, we usually build a calmer, steadier nervous system first. When shame and self-blame lead, the beliefs trauma left behind become the early focus.
How much it costs you counts. A PTSD diagnosis requires that symptoms cause real distress or get in the way of work, relationships, or daily life. Two people with the same score can be living very different lives.
You don’t need a diagnosis to deserve trauma therapy. If these symptoms cost you sleep, focus, or closeness with the people you love, that’s reason enough to get help.
One score is a snapshot. The PCL-5 was built to track change over time. Retaking it every few weeks shows whether treatment is working.
What a trauma test can’t tell you
A screening narrows the question. It doesn’t settle it. Here’s what this test leaves to a clinician:
- A diagnosis. Only a licensed clinician can diagnose PTSD, usually through a structured interview.
- Whether your experience meets the clinical definition. A PTSD diagnosis requires exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Emotional abuse, betrayal, and sudden loss can cause many of the same symptoms, and those symptoms deserve care too.
- Complex PTSD. Repeated or long-term trauma, often in childhood or in close relationships, can affect emotions, self-image, and relationships in ways the PCL-5 doesn’t measure directly. Our pages on complex PTSD and childhood trauma cover this in more depth.
- What else could be going on. Poor sleep, trouble concentrating, and lost interest overlap with depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
Is it trauma or PTSD?
Trauma is a deeply distressing experience and the way it stays with you. PTSD is a specific diagnosis, given when certain symptoms last longer than a month after a traumatic event and interfere with daily life.
Most people who live through trauma never develop PTSD. Many people without a diagnosis still carry symptoms that make work, sleep, and relationships harder. Both groups benefit from treatment.
What to do with your results
Your next step depends on your score and on how much your symptoms affect your life.
- 33 or higher: Talk with a trauma-trained therapist about a full evaluation. PTSD is treatable, and trauma-focused therapy is the most effective treatment available. Our PTSD therapy page explains what that looks like.
- 31 or 32: A clinician can help you sort out what your score means. A single consultation often answers the question.
- Below 31, but some symptoms still bother you: Those symptoms are worth treating on their own terms. You don’t need a diagnosis to start therapy.
- Feeling unsafe right now: Call or text 988, or call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255. Both are free and open 24/7.
Your results also show where therapy would likely start, based on your highest-scoring area. The results screen includes a print option, and bringing your answers to a first appointment gives your therapist a head start.
Trauma therapy at My Denver Therapy
Our team of 20+ Denver area therapists treats trauma and PTSD every day. We match you with a therapist trained in the approach that fits your history and goals:
- EMDR therapy, with EMDR-certified therapists on our team
- Brainspotting, which works with the body’s response to traumatic memories
- Internal Family Systems (IFS), a gentle approach for trauma that shows up as inner conflict and shame
- Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, offered at our Greenwood Village office for trauma that hasn’t shifted with talk therapy alone
We see clients in person in Denver, Greenwood Village, and Lone Tree, and online anywhere in Colorado. Most new clients start within a week, and our phones are answered 24/7. Learn more on our trauma therapy page, or book a free 15-minute consultation below.
Frequently asked questions
Is this trauma test free and private?
Yes. The test is free, and it runs entirely in your web browser. Your answers are never sent to us or stored anywhere, and we don’t ask for your name or email. When you close the page, your answers are gone unless you print or save them.
Can an online test diagnose PTSD?
No. An online test can screen for PTSD, but only a licensed clinician can diagnose it. The PCL-5 is designed to flag people who would benefit from a full evaluation, which usually involves a structured clinical interview.
What PCL-5 score indicates PTSD?
The VA National Center for PTSD reports that a PCL-5 score between 31 and 33 indicates probable PTSD. Scores range from 0 to 80. A score at or above that range means a full evaluation with a clinician is worth pursuing.
What if I can’t remember parts of what happened?
You don’t need to remember details to take this test. Trouble remembering important parts of a stressful experience is itself one of the 20 PTSD symptoms the PCL-5 asks about. Answer based on how you’ve felt over the past month.
Can I use this test for childhood trauma?
Yes. The PCL-5 can be used for any stressful experience, including one from childhood. Long-term childhood trauma can also cause symptoms the PCL-5 doesn’t cover, such as trouble with emotions and relationships, so a therapist experienced in childhood trauma can give you a fuller picture.
Can teenagers take this trauma test?
The PCL-5 was developed and validated for adults. Teens who are struggling after a difficult experience should talk with a parent, school counselor, or therapist. Our therapy for teens page explains how we work with adolescents.
Should I retake the test?
Retaking the test every few weeks can show whether your symptoms are changing, especially once you start therapy. The VA suggests that a drop of 10 or more points is a sign of meaningful improvement.
What should I do if my score is high?
Book a consultation with a trauma-trained therapist. A high score means your symptoms are significant enough to look at closely, and PTSD responds well to trauma-focused therapy. If you’re thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 now.
If you’re in crisis
This test and our website aren’t meant for emergencies. If you’re in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, or call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255 (text TALK to 38255). Both are free, confidential, and open 24/7. In an emergency, call 911.
Source: Weathers, F.W., Litz, B.T., Keane, T.M., Palmieri, P.A., Marx, B.P., & Schnurr, P.P. (2013). The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). National Center for PTSD. Scoring guidance: VA National Center for PTSD; Bovin, M.J., et al. (2016), Psychological Assessment, 28(11), 1379–1391. This screening is for educational purposes only. It doesn’t diagnose any condition, and taking it doesn’t create a therapist-client relationship with My Denver Therapy.
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