TTC PTSD Assessment & Diagnosis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to DSM-5, which criterion requires that PTSD symptoms persist for more than one month?
- Criterion B
- Criterion C
- Criterion E (Correct answer)
- Criterion F
Correct answer: Criterion E
DSM-5 Criterion E specifies that the disturbance (Criteria B, C, D, and E symptoms) must last more than one month.
Question 2: Which PTSD assessment tool uses a clinician-administered format and is considered the gold standard for diagnosis?
- PCL-5
- CAPS-5 (Correct answer)
- IES-R
- TSC-40
Correct answer: CAPS-5
The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) is the gold standard clinician-administered diagnostic interview for PTSD.
Question 3: A combat veteran reports feeling emotionally numb, losing interest in activities, and feeling detached from others. Which DSM-5 PTSD criterion cluster do these symptoms represent?
- Criterion B – Intrusion
- Criterion C – Avoidance
- Criterion D – Negative cognitions and mood (Correct answer)
- Criterion E – Alterations in arousal
Correct answer: Criterion D – Negative cognitions and mood
Emotional numbing, anhedonia, and detachment from others are hallmark features of Criterion D (negative alterations in cognitions and mood).
Question 4: What distinguishes Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) from PTSD in terms of symptom duration?
- ASD lasts less than 3 days; PTSD lasts 3–30 days
- ASD lasts 3 days to 1 month; PTSD lasts more than 1 month (Correct answer)
- ASD lasts 1–6 months; PTSD lasts more than 6 months
- ASD and PTSD have identical duration requirements
Correct answer: ASD lasts 3 days to 1 month; PTSD lasts more than 1 month
ASD is diagnosed when symptoms last between 3 days and 1 month after trauma exposure, while PTSD requires symptoms persisting beyond 1 month.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'dissociative subtype' of PTSD as defined in DSM-5?
- PTSD occurring exclusively in children under age 6
- PTSD with prominent depersonalization or derealization symptoms (Correct answer)
- PTSD that develops more than 6 months after the traumatic event
- PTSD co-occurring with a substance use disorder
Correct answer: PTSD with prominent depersonalization or derealization symptoms
The dissociative subtype is specified when individuals meet full PTSD criteria and also experience persistent or recurrent depersonalization and/or derealization.
Question 6: When assessing PTSD using the PCL-5, what total score is commonly used as a provisional threshold for a PTSD diagnosis?
- 21 or above
- 31 or above
- 38 or above (Correct answer)
- 50 or above
Correct answer: 38 or above
A PCL-5 score of 33 or above (commonly cited at 31–38 depending on population) is used as a provisional PTSD threshold, with 33 being widely referenced, though 38 is also used in some VA guidelines.
Question 7: Which population would be assessed using the DSM-5 PTSD criteria specific to children 6 years old and younger?
- Adolescents aged 13–17 presenting with school refusal
- Children under age 7 who may express trauma through play reenactment (Correct answer)
- Children of any age who experienced medical trauma
- School-age children aged 6–12 with complex trauma histories
Correct answer: Children under age 7 who may express trauma through play reenactment
DSM-5 includes a developmental subtype for PTSD in children 6 years and younger, recognizing unique presentations such as trauma-themed play and modified symptom thresholds.
TTC PTSD Assessment & Diagnosis 2
According to DSM-5, which criterion requires that PTSD symptoms persist for more than one month?