Measurement invariance of the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 across race/ethnicity and gender

Abstract

The PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5) is a commonly used self‐report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM‐5 ). There is promising evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the PCL‐5, and numerous studies have examined competing PTSD symptom factor structures as assessed using the instrument. There is limited and mixed evidence, however, about whether the PCL‐5 demonstrates measurement invariance across race/ethnicity and gender. This is a potential source of bias given that race/ethnicity and gender are well‐established predictors of higher rates of both trauma exposure and PTSD. The present study examined measurement invariance across race/ethnicity and gender in a large, diverse ( N  = 3,720; 78.6% female, 33.3% Hispanic/Latino, 30.5% Asian/Pacific Islander, 23.1% White/European American, 13.1% Black/African American) sample of young adults who reported trauma exposure. The results support scalar measurement invariance across all race/ethnicity and gender comparisons for both the DSM‐5 factor structure and the best‐fitting hybrid model. Comparisons of latent mean levels indicated that the largest differences in PTSD symptoms were gender‐specific, such that women reported higher overall PTSD symptom levels, as well as higher levels for each DSM‐5 symptom cluster, than men, p s < . 001. These results provide promising empirical evidence that although the frequency of trauma exposure may vary significantly across race/ethnicity and gender, the measurement of PTSD symptoms is invariant across these groups.