Every self-check on Moodfig is built on a real, published psychological questionnaire. We did not invent the questions. Below is a plain-language guide to the actual instruments we adapt, who created them, where they were published, and — importantly — what a self-check can and cannot tell you.

This page is for education and self-awareness only. It is not medical or psychological advice, and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a licensed professional.

Why we use published scales

Published screening scales have known histories. Researchers and clinicians have studied how people answer them, which makes them more useful than a list of questions someone made up. Using a known scale also lets you look up the original paper yourself by following the source links below.

The scales we adapt

GAD-7 — Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale

  • Authors: Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, and colleagues (2006)
  • Published in: Archives of Internal Medicine
  • Source: PubMed 16908766
  • What it measures: How often anxiety symptoms occurred over the past two weeks.
  • Scores: 0-21. Higher means more frequent symptoms.

PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item

  • Authors: Kroenke, Spitzer, and Williams (2001)
  • Published in: Journal of General Internal Medicine
  • Source: PubMed 11556941
  • What it measures: Depressive symptoms over the past two weeks, including a question about self-harm.
  • Scores: 0-27.

PSS-10 — Perceived Stress Scale

  • Authors: Cohen, Kamarck, and Mermelstein (1983)
  • Published in: Journal of Health and Social Behavior
  • Source: PubMed 6668417
  • What it measures: How unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded life has felt over the past month.

WHO-5 — Well-Being Index

  • A short well-being index promoted by the World Health Organization.
  • Source: PubMed 25645832
  • What it measures: Positive mood and energy over the past two weeks.

DASS-21 — Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (short form)

  • Authors: Lovibond and Lovibond (1995)
  • Source: DASS official site, UNSW
  • What it measures: Three separate dimensions — depression, anxiety, stress — over the past week.

PC-PTSD-5 — Primary Care PTSD Screen

  • Authors: Prins and colleagues (2003)
  • Source: PubMed 14514936
  • What it measures: Possible post-traumatic stress symptoms since a distressing event.

ISI — Insomnia Severity Index

  • Authors: Morin and colleagues (2011)
  • Source: PubMed 21286279
  • What it measures: Insomnia severity and daytime impact over the past two weeks.

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)

  • Authors: Maslach and Jackson (1981)
  • Source: PubMed search
  • What it measures: Emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced accomplishment at work.

SPIN — Social Phobia Inventory

  • Authors: Connor and Davidson (2000)
  • Source: PubMed 10827888
  • What it measures: Fear, avoidance, and physical symptoms of social anxiety over the past week.

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale

  • Author: Morris Rosenberg (1965)
  • Source: PubMed search
  • What it measures: Global self-worth.

Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)

  • Authors: Gross and John (2003)
  • Source: PubMed 12916575
  • What it measures: Two emotion-regulation strategies: reappraisal and suppression.

UCLA Loneliness Scale

ASRS v1.1 — Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale

  • Authors: Kessler and colleagues (WHO-endorsed, 2007)
  • Source: PubMed search
  • What it measures: Adult ADHD symptoms.

PANAS — Positive and Negative Affect Schedule

  • Authors: Watson, Clark, and Tellegen (1988)
  • Source: PubMed 3397865
  • What it measures: Positive and negative affect.

EPDS — Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

  • Authors: Cox, Holden, and Sagovsky (1987)
  • Source: PubMed 3651732
  • What it measures: Postnatal mood, for new mothers.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

  • Authors: Rosenthal and colleagues (1984)
  • Source: PubMed 6581756
  • What it measures: Seasonal mood and energy changes.

BIS-11 — Barratt Impulsiveness Scale

  • Authors: Patton, Stanford, and Barratt (1995)
  • Source: PubMed 8522153
  • What it measures: Impulsivity.

SWLS — Satisfaction With Life Scale

  • Authors: Diener and colleagues (1985)
  • Source: PubMed 4079083
  • What it measures: Global life satisfaction.

How to use a self-check well

  1. Answer for the time window the scale asks about (past two weeks, past month, or past week). Using the wrong window changes the meaning.
  2. Answer honestly, not how you wish you felt. There are no right or wrong answers.
  3. Treat the score as a snapshot. Mood, sleep, and stress shift from day to day.
  4. Use it to notice patterns over time, not to label yourself.

What a self-check cannot do

  • It is not a diagnosis. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose a condition.
  • It relies on self-report. It cannot see everything a professional would consider.
  • Scores can be affected by a bad day, poor sleep, or recent events.
  • A high score is a reason to check in, not a verdict.

When to seek professional help

If a score lands in a higher band, if symptoms last most days for two weeks or more, or if you are worried about your wellbeing, please talk with a licensed mental health professional. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, contact a crisis line such as 988 (US) right away. You can also visit our Mental Health Help (US) page for confidential support lines.

*All scales listed above are real, published instruments. Moodfig adapts them for private self-reflection. This page is for education and self-awareness only and is not medical or psychological advice, nor a substitute for professional evaluation.*