PCL-5
Medical abbreviation · Mental Health & Psychiatry
| Stands for | PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
PCL-5 stands for PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, a mental health & psychiatry abbreviation.
Twenty-item self-report measure of PTSD symptoms over the past month, each rated 0–4 for a total of 0–80, developed by the US National Center for PTSD. Scores around 31–33 or higher suggest probable PTSD and are used to track change during treatment.
Example: PCL-5 52 at intake, 24 after CPT completion; clinically meaningful improvement.
Usage notes
The checklist was updated for DSM-5 in 2013 from earlier versions such as the PCL-M for military populations. A drop of 10 or more points is often considered clinically meaningful. It is free to use. A provisional diagnosis still requires clinical interview confirmation.
Related abbreviations
More mental health & psychiatry abbreviations
- ODD – Oppositional defiant disorder
- OSFED – Other specified feeding or eating disorder
- OTP – Opioid treatment program
- OUD – Opioid use disorder
- PANSS – Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
- PCIT – Parent-child interaction therapy
- PD – Panic disorder
- PDD – Persistent depressive disorder
- PE – Prolonged exposure therapy
- PHP – Partial hospitalization program
- PHQ-2 – Patient Health Questionnaire-2
- PHQ-9 – Patient Health Questionnaire-9
See all 100 mental health & psychiatry abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.