title: Portuguese version of the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M)--II: diagnostic utility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  War veterans are at high risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the development of brief self-report instruments that enable screening for PTSD in this population is crucial. The PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M) is widely used for this purpose. This study sought to explore the diagnostic utility of the Portuguese version of the PCL-M.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were 86 Portuguese Colonial War veterans (42 with a PTSD diagnosis and 44 without PTSD). Participants completed a self-report instrument designed to collect sociodemographic data, the PCL-M, and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve showed excellent discriminant ability between subjects with and without PTSD (AUC = 0.94). To achieve a positive PTSD diagnosis, an optimal cutoff point of 49 for the PCL-M total score and cutoff points for each of its 17 items are recommended.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work is a relevant contribution for research and clinical practice in the vast population of Portuguese Colonial War veterans. Use of the PCL-M as a screening tool for PTSD symptoms will allow easier, resource-aware targeting of subjects with a potential PTSD diagnosis, adding to the improvement of public health in Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), School of Psychology and Education Sciences, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), School of Psychology and Education Sciences, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinto-Gouveia
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), School of Psychology and Education Sciences, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Cognitive-Behavioral Center for Research and Intervention (CINEICC), School of Psychology and Education Sciences, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duarte
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D057189:Checklist / Q000592:standards*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*