Evaluation of Candidate Items for Severe PTSD Screening for Patients With Chronic Pain: Pilot Data Analysis With the IRT Approach.

The current study used the IRT approach to identify candidate items for a brief screener for severe PTSD. We examined 17 items of the PCL-C, and identified 2 items that were highly discriminant for severe PTSD. The 2 items were "feeling upset at reminders" and "avoid thinking or talking about it." These 2 items may provide clinical utility, since they may enable physicians to screen and make a referral for further assessment or treatment for PTSD.