What is a good PTSD score?

Asked by: Catharine Walsh  |  Last update: May 13, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (33 votes)

When given at an intake or assessment session, the PCL-5 may be used to help determine the appropriate next steps or treatment options. For example: A total score of 31-33 or higher suggests the patient may benefit from PTSD treatment.

What is a normal PTSD score?

The higher your score, the greater the chance that you may be suffering from PTSD. Possible scores range from 17 to 85. Scores of above 44 are considered indicative of possible PTSD.

What is the normal rating for PTSD?

In truth, there is no such thing as typical PTSD. Everyone with PTSD is going to experience it a little differently. This is why you can find PTSD ratings from all across the spectrum. One of the most common ratings for PTSD is 70%, but there are many rated at 50%, 30%, and 10% as well.

What is a 38 PTSD score?

Preliminary cut-scores of both 33 and 38 have been recommended as indicating PTSD presence (Bovin et al., 2016; Hoge, Riviere, Wilk, Herrell, & Weathers, 2014; Weathers et al., 2013).

What does a PTSD score of 4 mean?

1 = Not at all 2 = A little bit 3 = Moderately 4 = Quite a bit 5 = Extremely. Repeated, disturbing memories, thoughts, or images of a stressful experience from the past. Repeated, disturbing dreams of a stressful experience from the past.

PTSD VA Rating Secrets: Ultimate Guide To A Winning Claim!

45 related questions found

What is a PTSD score of 3?

Scoring and Interpretation

Each item on the measure is rated on a 5-point scale (0=Not at all; 1=A little bit; 2=Moderately; 3=Quite a bit, and 4=Extremely). The total score can range from 0 to 36 with higher scores indicating greater severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.

How bad is 70 PTSD rating?

Understand the Implications of a 70%PTSD Rating

This rating reflects the profound impact of PTSD symptoms on their life, with frequent and intense episodes of intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, and emotional disturbances, severely affecting not just the veteran but also their family and social circles.

What do I say to get a 70% PTSD rating?

There aren't any "magic words" you can use to automatically get, say, 70% disability compensation for PTSD. You should instead focus on making sure that your stressor statement describes the traumatic events that led to you developing PTSD, as well as how your life has changed since your diagnosis.

How is PTSD severity measured?

Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Created by National Center for PTSD staff, the CAPS is one of the most widely used PTSD interviews. The questions ask how often you have PTSD symptoms and how intense they are. The CAPS also asks about other symptoms that commonly occur with PTSD.

How much disability is tinnitus?

The standard rating for recurrent tinnitus is 10 percent, and this rating applies whether your condition affects both or just one ear. According to the VA compensation table for December 2021, a 10 percent rating warrants a monthly benefit of $152.64 for tinnitus.

Can you get 100% disability for PTSD?

The VA rating formula goes from zero percent to 100 percent in increments of 10. Not every disability includes each rating percentage. A veteran's PTSD can be rated at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100 percent debilitating.

What are the 7 symptoms of PTSD?

Arousal and reactivity symptoms
  • Being easily startled.
  • Feeling tense, on guard, or on edge.
  • Having difficulty concentrating.
  • Having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
  • Feeling irritable and having angry or aggressive outbursts.
  • Engaging in risky, reckless, or destructive behavior.

What is the top 8 PTSD scale?

The TOP-8 Scale is an eight-item, brief, interview-based assessment of the DSM-IV version of PTSD. It was developed from a larger PTSD instrument (SI-PTSD scale) based on items which were frequently endorsed by those with PTSD and which responded substantially to treatment across time.

What is a typical rating for PTSD?

Currently, many veterans who receive VA disability for their service-connected PTSD are rated at the 70 percent level. A 70 percent PTSD rating reflects impairment in most areas of life, including work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, and mood.

What is normal trauma score?

The score range is 0–12. In START triage, a patient with an RTS score of 12 is labeled delayed, 11 is urgent, and 3–10 is immediate. Those who have an RTS below 3 are declared dead and should not receive certain care because they are highly unlikely to survive without a significant amount of resources.

What are the 17 symptoms of complex PTSD?

What Are the 17 Symptoms of Complex PTSD?
  • Flashbacks.
  • Memory lapses.
  • Distorted sense of self.
  • Inability to control your emotions.
  • Hyperarousal.
  • Unexplained upset stomach.
  • Sleep disturbances.
  • Challenged interpersonal relationships.

What is a high score for PTSD?

Total symptom severity score

Severity can be determined adding scores of each item together to determine a total score. A total score of 33 or higher may indicate severe PTSD and suggests the patient needs further assessment to confirm a diagnosis of PTSD.

Can you get disability for PTSD?

The SSA has strict criteria for all mental disorders, including PTSD. To qualify for disability benefits, you'll have to prove that your PTSD is debilitating, ongoing, and makes it impossible for you to hold a job.

What score do you need to be diagnosed with PTSD?

The PCL-5 can determine a provisional diagnosis in two ways: Summing all 20 items (range 0-80) and using a cut-point score of 31-33 appears to be reasonable based upon current psychometric work.

Is 70% PTSD a permanent VA disability?

Is 70 Percent PTSD a Permanent VA Disability? Receiving a 70 percent PTSD VA rating can lead to a permanent VA disability rating when you receive TDIU, Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability.

How is PTSD graded?

The self-report rating scale is 0-4 for each symptom, reflecting a change from 1-5 in the DSM-IV version. Rating scale descriptors are the same: "Not at all," "A little bit," Moderately," "Quite a bit," and "Extremely."

Can you lose PTSD rating?

Yes, your PTSD rating can be reduced. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may lower your disability rating and thereby reduce monthly benefits for post traumatic stress disorder if they find your illness has improved.

What do I say to get 70% PTSD compensation?

What do you say to get 70% PTSD? If you are a disabled veteran who is already service-connected for PTSD, then you'll want to focus on showing how your symptoms have worsened in severity. The 70% rating criteria for PTSD include occupational and social impairment and deficiencies.

What VA percentage is anxiety?

The VA rating for a mental health condition like anxiety ranges from 0 to 100 percent disability, with your symptoms determining the extent of your related disability. To collect for your anxiety, you'll need to prove that your psychological condition has a formal diagnosis and that it is linked to your active service.

Is 70% a good VA rating?

A rating of 70% is one of the higher ratings a veteran can receive and indicates the Veterans service connected conditions significantly impact their quality of life. To reach a 70% disability rating, veterans typically have multiple service-connected conditions, each rated at varying levels of severity.