IES-R
Impact of Event Scale — Revised
The Impact of Event Scale — Revised (IES-R) is a 22-item ptsd / trauma assessment for adults. It typically takes about 7 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 88 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
22
7 min
adult
0–88
About the IES-R
The Impact of Event Scale — Revised (IES-R) is a 22-item ptsd / trauma assessment for adults. It typically takes about 7 minutes to complete, producing a total score from 0 to 88 where higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
First published in 1997 by Weiss DS, Marmar CR, the IES-R is free to use for clinical and research purposes with attribution. With Psyche Assess you can send the IES-R to clients online, score it automatically, and generate a clinician-ready report in seconds.
What it measures
IES-R questions
- 1
Any reminder brought back feelings about it.
intrusion - 2
I had trouble staying asleep.
intrusion - 3
Other things kept making me think about it.
intrusion - 4
I felt irritable and angry.
hyperarousal - 5
I avoided letting myself get upset when I thought about it or was reminded of it.
avoidance - 6
I thought about it when I did not mean to.
intrusion - 7
I felt as if it had not happened or was not real.
avoidance - 8
I stayed away from reminders about it.
avoidance - 9
Pictures about it popped into my mind.
intrusion - 10
I was jumpy and easily startled.
hyperarousal - 11
I tried not to think about it.
avoidance - 12
I was aware that I still had a lot of feelings about it, but I did not deal with them.
avoidance - 13
My feelings about it were kind of numb.
avoidance - 14
I found myself acting or feeling as though I was back at that time.
intrusion - 15
I had trouble falling asleep.
hyperarousal - 16
I had waves of strong feelings about it.
intrusion - 17
I tried to remove it from my memory.
avoidance - 18
I had trouble concentrating.
hyperarousal - 19
Reminders of it caused me to have physical reactions, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea, or a pounding heart.
hyperarousal - 20
I had dreams about it.
intrusion - 21
I felt watchful and on-guard.
hyperarousal - 22
I tried not to talk about it.
avoidance
Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.
Scoring & interpretation
| Range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–23 | Subclinical | Below clinical concern threshold. |
| 24–32 | Clinical concern | Clinical concern; further trauma assessment recommended. |
| 33–36 | Probable PTSD | Probable PTSD; structured clinical interview (e.g. CAPS-5) recommended. |
| 37–88 | High concern | High concern. Sufficient severity to suppress immune-system functioning per Kawamura et al. (2001). |
Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Frequently asked questions
How many items does the IES-R have?
The IES-R has 22 items and takes about 7 minutes to complete.
How is the IES-R scored?
Item responses are summed for a total score from 0 to 88, where higher scores indicate greater severity. Totals fall into the interpretive bands shown above.
Is the IES-R free to use?
The IES-R is free to use for clinical and research purposes provided the authors are credited and the item wording is not altered.
Who is the IES-R for?
The IES-R is designed for adult and is used by clinicians, researchers, and integrated-care teams.
Source & references
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