Abstract
The PTSD checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5) is among the most widely used measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Although its psychometrics are well studied, the measurement invariance properties of the PCL-5 have not yet been closely examined. This study examined the measurement invariance properties of the PCL-5 across gender and racial (Black, White) categories using a nation-wide sample (N = 1,357, 51% women, 18% Black) of post-9/11 Army and Marine Corps veterans overselected for PTSD symptoms. PTSD was modeled within a higher order factor structure using observed PCL-5 responses as ordered polytomous data. We examined group-level invariance across item response thresholds and first- and second-order factor loadings and intercepts. We used 500 bootstrapped racially balanced data sets to account for sample size imbalance in the racial invariance analyses. Results provide support for partial measurement invariance across gender with veteran men reporting significantly more hypervigilance and reckless and self-destructive behavior than women at equal levels of latent PTSD symptom severity. Importantly, we found full support for invariance across Black and White veterans. These results suggest that PCL-5 score differences observed across these groups represent substantive differences in PTSD symptoms rather than bias associated with the measurement process. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).