Development of a short version of the PTSD CHECKLIST (PCL) based on the ICD-11 definitions of posttraumatic stress disorder

Introduction and objectives.
The main objective of the present study was to develop, from the PTSD Checklist (PCL), a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms based on the ICD-11 symptomatic criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Material and methods.
Seven PCL items were selected to develop the PCL-ICD-11, and its psychometric properties were analyzed in a sample of 634 victims of terrorism who completed the specific version of the PCL (PCL-S) along with a structured diagnostic interview and measures of depression and anxiety.
Results.
The results indicate that the PCL-ICD-11 shows a unifactorial structure with good fit indices that is replicated in two subsamples of victims created randomly from the global sample. The PCL-ICD-11 shows excellent indices of internal consistency (α > .85) and very good indices of diagnostic validity to identify PTSD (AUC > .90 and kappa ≥ .75), discriminates significantly and with large effect sizes (d = 0.88 – 2.32) between victims with PTSD, victims with depressive or anxiety disorders and victims without disorders, presents significant and large correlations with measures of depression and anxiety, two constructs with which PTSD it is closely related, and shows a very high correlation of .95 with the complete PCL-S.
Conclusions.
The PCL-ICD-11 is a short version of the PCL-S that has good psychometric properties and can be useful to assess the presence and severity of PTSD symptoms from both the DSM and ICD-11 perspectives.