Assessment of the Diagnostic Validity of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) Using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) among Road Traffic Accident (RTA) Victims Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Nigeria
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health condition among road traffic accident (RTA) victims. Early identification is essential; however, there is a need for simple and reliable screening tools. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) is widely used, but its diagnostic validity requires evaluation in Nigeria. Objective: To assess the diagnostic validity and reliability of the PCL-5 in identifying PTSD among road traffic accident victims using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) as the gold standard. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 40 road traffic accident victims. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the PCL-5, and the MINI. Diagnostic performance of the PCL-5 was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and overall accuracy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine discriminative ability. Agreement between instruments was assessed using Cohen’s kappa statistic, while internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: The mean age of respondents was 34.6 ± 10.6 years, with a predominance of males. The PCL-5 demonstrated a sensitivity of 75.0%, specificity of 92.9%, positive predictive value of 81.8%, negative predictive value of 89.7%, and overall accuracy of 87.5%. The area under the ROC curve was 0.91, indicating excellent discriminative ability. Cohen’s kappa value of 0.695 indicated substantial agreement between the PCL-5 and the MINI. The PCL-5 also showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.917). Conclusion: The PCL-5 is a valid and reliable screening tool for PTSD among road traffic accident victims, demonstrating high specificity, good sensitivity, excellent discriminative ability, and strong internal consistency. However, confirmatory diagnosis using structured clinical interviews such as the MINI remains essential.
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