Appendix Q: Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5)

Instructions: Listed below are a number of difficult or stressful things that sometimes happen to people. For each event, check one or more of the boxes to the right to indicate that: (a) it happened to you personally; (b) you witnessed it happen to someone else; (c) you learned about it happening to a close family member or close friend; (d) you were exposed to it as part of your job (for example, paramedic, police, military, or other first responder); (e) you’re not sure if it fits; or (f) it doesn’t apply to you.

Be sure to consider your entire life (growing up as well as adulthood) as you go through the list of events.

Source: Weathers, F. W., Blake, D. D., Schnurr, P. P., Kaloupek, D. G., Marx, B. P., & Keane, T. M. (2013). The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5) – Standard. [Measurement instrument]. Available from www.ptsd.va.gov.