Can the PCL-5 be used as a potential indicator of probable Complex PTSD?

Purpose

Alongside the recognition of the ICD-11 Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), research has been underway to develop effective assessment measures to identify CPTSD. Given the novelty of the CPTSD diagnosis and associated assessment methods, many services have exhibited caution in incorporating such methods. Yet, there remains a clinical need to identify individuals experiencing CPTSD-like difficulties as it may hold important treatment considerations. This study aims to identify a score on the commonly administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) (PCL-5) that may be suggestive of CPTSD-like difficulties.

Methods

Using cross-sectional data from a clinical veteran sample (N = 227), a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis using CPTSD criteria as a benchmark was conducted to identify an PCL-5 cut-off score.

Results

This study suggests a PCL-5 cut-off score of 51, which had a sensitivity of 78.8 % and a specificity of 77.8 %.

Conclusion

The potential utility of this score is discussed in terms of suitability as an indicator of potential CPTSD-like difficulties as well as potential service implications. Further research is required to further investigate the feasibility of a PCL-5 score to screen for CPTSD.