PTSD C&P Exam Questions: What the Examiner Will Ask (2026)

Purpose of the Exam

The C&P exam for PTSD is not a treatment session. It is a structured clinical evaluation designed to do four things:

• Confirm or rule out a current PTSD diagnosis using DSM-5 criteria
• Document the nature of the in-service stressor
• Assess current symptom severity and functional impairment
• Apply the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders at 38 CFR 4.130

The examiner will use a structured Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) format. The questions follow a recognizable pattern. Knowing the pattern in advance lets you respond accurately rather than feeling caught off guard.

The Five Question Categories

Most PTSD C&P exams cover five core categories of questions. Below is what to expect in each.

Category 1: Stressor History

The examiner will ask you to describe the in-service event(s) that you contend caused your PTSD. The questions are usually structured around the DSM-5 Criterion A (exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence). Typical questions:

You do not need to recount the stressor in graphic detail or relive it for the examiner. A clinical, factual description is sufficient. If you have submitted a VA Form 21-0781 (Statement in Support of PTSD Claim) or 21-0781a (Statement for PTSD Secondary to Personal Assault), the examiner will likely have it; you can reference your prior statement rather than re-describe everything.

Category 2: DSM-5 Symptom Criteria

The bulk of the exam covers the four DSM-5 symptom clusters for PTSD. The examiner will ask about each.

Intrusion Symptoms (Criterion B)

• Do you have unwanted memories of the event? How often?
• Do you have nightmares related to the event?
• Do you experience flashbacks or feel as if you are reliving the event?
• How do you react when reminded of the event - emotionally, physically (sweating, heart racing)?

Avoidance Symptoms (Criterion C)

• Do you avoid thinking about the event?
• Do you avoid people, places, or activities that remind you of it?
• What kinds of situations do you stay away from? Crowded places? Specific locations? Television or movies?

Negative Alterations in Cognition and Mood (Criterion D)

• Do you have trouble remembering parts of the event?
• Do you have negative thoughts about yourself, others, or the world?
• Do you blame yourself or others for what happened?
• Do you feel persistent fear, anger, guilt, or shame?
• Have you lost interest in activities you used to enjoy?
• Do you feel detached from family or friends?
• Do you have difficulty experiencing positive emotions like love or joy?

Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms (Criterion E)

• Are you irritable or having angry outbursts?
• Are you reckless or self-destructive?
• Do you feel hypervigilant - constantly scanning your environment?
• Are you easily startled?
• Do you have trouble concentrating?
• Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both?

Category 3: Occupational and Social Functioning

This is the most rating-relevant section of the exam. The General Rating Formula at 38 CFR 4.130 evaluates overall occupational and social impairment. Expect questions like:

Work Functioning

• Are you currently working? If so, what kind of work?
• Have you missed work because of your symptoms? How much?
• Have you had conflicts with coworkers or supervisors?
• Have you been disciplined, demoted, or terminated?
• Have you changed jobs or reduced your hours because of symptoms?
• Have you had to leave a job because of mental health issues?
• Are you self-employed - and if so, how have your earnings been affected?

Social and Family Functioning

• Are you married, partnered, or living with someone? How is that relationship?
• How is your relationship with your children, parents, siblings?
• Do you have friends you see regularly? How often?
• Do you participate in social activities, religious services, community groups?
• Have you withdrawn from people you used to be close to?

Daily Activities

• Walk me through a typical day.
• Are you able to manage household chores - cleaning, cooking, laundry, finances?
• Are you able to manage personal hygiene - showering, grooming, dressing?
• Are you able to leave the house? How often?
• Are you able to drive, shop, run errands?

Category 4: Treatment History

Examiners review your treatment history to understand the trajectory of the condition and to verify symptoms are persistent despite treatment. Typical questions:

• Are you currently in mental health treatment? With whom?
• How often do you see your therapist or psychiatrist?
• What medications are you on for mental health? (List names, dosages, who prescribed)
• What medications have you tried previously?
• Have you been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons?
• Have you participated in evidence-based therapies (CPT, PE, EMDR)?
• How have your symptoms responded to treatment?
• Are there gaps in your treatment? Why?

Category 5: Risk Assessment

This is a clinical safety section as well as a rating-relevant section. The examiner will ask:

• Are you having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself? Currently? In the past month?
• Have you ever attempted suicide?
• Do you have a plan or means to harm yourself?
• Are you having thoughts of harming others?
• Do you have access to firearms? Have you taken any precautions?
• Do you experience auditory or visual hallucinations?
• Do you have any active substance use - alcohol, drugs?

Suicidal ideation is part of the criteria for the 70 percent rating under 38 CFR 4.130. Honest answers matter for both the rating and your safety. If you are experiencing a crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 and pressing 1, or texting 838255.

Response Tips

• Be specific. Frequencies, durations, and concrete examples are far more useful than adjectives.
• Describe your worst symptoms. The examiner is documenting the average and the worst, not just an average day.
• Don't minimize. The examiner will not be impressed by stoicism. They are documenting reality, and the rating reflects what they document.
• Don't exaggerate. Credibility is the foundation of the entire exam. Examiners are trained to identify malingering and inconsistencies.
• Bring documentation. Recent therapy notes, medication lists, prior evaluations, hospitalization summaries.
• Include lay observations. Bring or reference statements from spouse, partner, family, or buddies who have observed your symptoms.
• Acknowledge what you do not know. If you cannot remember a specific date or event detail, say so. Speculation reduces credibility.
• Be honest about substance use. Alcohol and drug use that flow from PTSD self-medication can be relevant; concealment damages credibility.

After the Exam

After the exam, the examiner submits a written report to the VA. You can request a copy through your VA.gov account or by FOIA. If the report contains material errors or omissions, you can submit a written rebuttal, request a clarifying opinion, submit an independent psychological evaluation, or pursue a Higher-Level Review or supplemental claim depending on the issue.

Independent psychological evaluations from licensed psychologists or psychiatrists are particularly valuable when the C&P exam was brief, when the C&P examiner did not appear to have full records, or when you struggled to engage during the exam due to trauma or interpersonal dynamics. Both opinions are weighed by the rater under Nieves-Rodriguez v. Peake (2008).