Toward the “Narrow” Approach to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Diagnostic Criteria: An Item Response Theory Analysis

To determine which items represent the core PTSD symptoms, item response theory was employed to examine item discrimination parameters. Undergraduates who experienced a DSM-5 Criterion A event completed the PCL-5. Physiological reactivity, internal avoidance, anhedonia, detachment/estrangement, and concentration and sleep difficulties emerged as the most discriminating symptoms.