Measurement invariance of the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 across eight countries and samples with diverse trauma experiences

Abstract

The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is a well-known tool for measuring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Although the tool has been translated into many different languages, only one study, conducted in European countries, has examined measurement invariance (MI) across these versions. The present study aimed to verify PCL-5 MI in eight countries: Argentina, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Poland, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. All samples included at least 200 participants. Regarding trauma type, the highest number of individuals reported experiencing a traffic accident (n = 3,128) and/or physical assault (n = 2,609), and the fewest reported captivity (n = 575) and/or contributing to someone else's harm, injury, or death (n = 559). A symptom structure model based on DSM-5 criteria showed a satisfactory fit to the data, χ²(164, N = 4,064) = 2,571.18, p < .001, robust CFI = .931, robust RMSEA = .078, 90% CI [.075, .081], robust TLI = .920, SRMR = .037. Data fit and invariance were obtained with regard to identical structure and factor loadings (configural and metric invariance) as well as for the partial scalar invariance (equal intercepts). In all samples, PTSD symptoms were strongly or moderately positively correlated with levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress-related symptoms and moderately or weakly positively correlated with COVID-19–related stressors, emotional stability/neuroticism, and emotional reactivity. The results indicate that the PCL-5 is a generally effective measure of universal indicators of PTSD across different countries.