The PTSD Checklist (PCL) is a widely used 17-item self-report measure of past-month PTSD symptoms6. It collects information relevant to the three (according to DSM-IV) PTSD symptom clusters: reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Of these, hyperarousal and avoidance are common to many anxiety-related disorders, but re-experiencing symptoms (e.g., nightmares and flashbacks about a traumatic event) are largely unique to PTSD and are core to the diagnosis.
