Depression, anxiety & stress test (DASS-21)

The DASS-21 is a widely used questionnaire that measures three things at once, on separate scales: depression, anxiety and stress. Its 21 items ask how much each statement applied to you over the past week — from low mood and loss of motivation, through physical anxiety symptoms, to tension and difficulty relaxing.

This is a self-check you can complete online in about five minutes. You get three separate scores straight away, each with its own plain-language interpretation and standard severity band. It is a first orientation, not a diagnosis — a formal assessment is always made by a qualified professional.

Written from a neurodivergence-affirming stance: for autistic and ADHD adults these three often ride on chronic overload rather than existing on their own. The anxiety scale leans on physical symptoms, so it can also be influenced by medical causes — reading all three together gives a fuller picture than any single number.

21 items across 3 scales, about 5 minutes, instant scores
Based on the DASS-21 (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995)
Anonymous — nothing to sign up for
Screening for orientation only, not a clinical diagnosis

Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995

DASS-21

A 21-item instrument evaluating independent levels of stress, anxiety, and depression experienced over the course of the past week.

"What does this mean?" if a question is not clear, tap this under the question for a plain explanation.

"Not sure about my answer" if your answer is only an approximation, mark it. It does not change the score; it just shows where it may help to come back to it.

21 items, about 5 minutes

Computed on your device, your data stays with you

0 / 210%

Keys 1-4 for quick answer

Please read each statement and select the response that indicates how much it applied to you over the past week.

Depression

Question 1 of 21. I couldn't seem to experience any positive feeling at all

Question 2 of 21. I found it difficult to work up the initiative to do things

Question 3 of 21. I felt that I had nothing to look forward to

Question 4 of 21. I felt down-hearted and blue

Question 5 of 21. I was unable to become enthusiastic about anything

Question 6 of 21. I felt I wasn't worth much as a person

Question 7 of 21. I felt that life was meaningless

Anxiety

Question 8 of 21. I was aware of dryness of my mouth

Question 9 of 21. I experienced breathing difficulty (e.g. excessively rapid breathing, breathlessness in the absence of physical exertion)

Question 10 of 21. I experienced trembling (e.g. in the hands)

Question 11 of 21. I was worried about situations in which I might panic and make a fool of myself

Question 12 of 21. I felt I was close to panic

Question 13 of 21. I was aware of the action of my heart in the absence of physical exertion (e.g. sense of heart rate increase, heart missing a beat)

Question 14 of 21. I felt scared without any good reason

Stress

Question 15 of 21. I found it hard to wind down

Question 16 of 21. I tended to over-react to situations

Question 17 of 21. I felt that I was using a lot of nervous energy

Question 18 of 21. I found myself getting agitated

Question 19 of 21. I found it difficult to relax

Question 20 of 21. I was intolerant of anything that kept me from getting on with what I was doing

Question 21 of 21. I felt that I was rather touchy

0/21 answered, 0%