Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21)
A self-report scale to measure negative emotional states.
Instructions for Use
Objective
The DASS-21 is a 21-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure the severity of three related negative emotional states: depression, anxiety, and stress.
How to Administer
Read each of the 21 statements. For each one, choose the option that best describes how much the statement applied to you over the past week. It is important to consider the entire last seven days, including today.
- The rating scale is as follows:
- 0 = Did not apply to me at all
- 1 = Applied to me to some degree, or some of the time
- 2 = Applied to me to a considerable degree, or a good part of the time
- 3 = Applied to me very much, or most of the time
- Answer every question, even if it does not seem to relate to you.
Score Analysis
Score Calculation
The scores for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress are calculated by summing the scores for the relevant items. As the DASS-21 is a short version of the main scale (DASS-42), the final score for each subscale must be multiplied by 2.
Result Interpretation
The severity of the symptoms is determined by comparing your final scores to the ranges below.
| Severity | Depression | Anxiety | Stress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 0-9 | 0-7 | 0-14 |
| Mild | 10-13 | 8-9 | 15-18 |
| Moderate | 14-20 | 10-14 | 19-25 |
| Severe | 21-27 | 15-19 | 26-33 |
| Extremely Severe | 28+ | 20+ | 34+ |
Disclaimer: This is a screening tool. It is not intended to provide a diagnosis and should not replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional. The results are a snapshot of your feelings over the past week and can be a useful starting point for a discussion about your well-being.