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

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, ps < . 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.