ObGyn Intelligence
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A validated 22-item screening tool for post-traumatic stress symptoms. For clinical and personal use. No data is stored or transmitted.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a deeply distressing event — such as a traumatic birth, pregnancy loss, sexual assault, serious accident, or life-threatening illness. It is not a sign of weakness. It is a recognized medical condition in which the brain and body remain in a state of high alert long after the danger has passed.
PTSD is characterized by four main symptom clusters: re-experiencing the event (flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories), actively avoiding reminders of it, negative changes in thoughts and mood, and persistent physical and emotional hyperarousal (feeling on edge, difficulty sleeping, exaggerated startle response). Symptoms typically persist for more than one month and cause significant distress or interference with daily life. Effective treatments exist, including trauma-focused therapy and medication.
A formal diagnosis requires a structured clinical assessment by a qualified professional confirming all of the following:
The IES-R alone cannot establish any of these. It measures symptom intensity at a single point in time — nothing more.
Many physicians, first responders, ICU nurses, and caregivers score high during acutely stressful periods and later normalize without ever having PTSD. A high score reflects current distress. It does not confirm a diagnosis, and a low score does not rule one out.
The IES-R does not diagnose PTSD. It measures the intensity of post-traumatic stress symptoms across three clusters: intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal. A total score of 33 or above is the threshold most widely used in research to indicate probable PTSD and to recommend formal clinical evaluation.
Some studies use a cutoff of 24 for moderate clinical concern. A score of 33 or above has been shown to have high sensitivity for identifying PTSD as defined by DSM criteria. A score of 49 or above suggests a severe symptom burden that warrants urgent professional attention. Subscale scores can help identify which symptom cluster is most prominent and guide the clinical conversation.
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Please treat your scores on this or any other online questionnaire with caution. Questionnaires cannot be used to make a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Where a mental health condition has already been diagnosed by a suitably qualified and experienced health professional, this questionnaire may be used as one guide to the current severity of your symptoms — not as a standalone measure.
Always consult a qualified health professional if you are concerned in any way about your mental health. A score above the screening threshold means further evaluation is warranted — not that you have PTSD. A score below the threshold does not rule out PTSD or other conditions that deserve clinical attention.
If you are worried about your safety or the safety of someone else, do not wait. Contact your physician, go to the nearest emergency department, or call emergency services immediately.
Reference: Weiss DS, Marmar CR. The Impact of Event Scale — Revised. In: Wilson JP, Keane TM, editors. Assessing psychological trauma and PTSD. New York: Guilford Press; 1997. p. 399-411.