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Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM)3

Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) Test

Get a quick read on a client’s psychological distress and progress in about 7 minutes. With 34 items, it supports routine check-ins, clear scoring, and data-informed therapy adjustments.

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Questions: 347 minutes

08:30

September 1, 2026

September 1, 2026
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

28,315 views

2,666 completions

2,157 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

2/4

Risk/Harm (R)

Measures self-reported risk of harm to self or others and tendencies toward self-harming or dangerous behavior.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1: Low | 2 – 3: Moderate | 4: High

A score of 2 falls in the Moderate range, indicating some reported risk-related thoughts or behaviors that may warrant closer monitoring in the therapeutic context.

example score

2/4

Life Functioning Difficulties (LFD)

Measures the degree of difficulty a person experiences in everyday functioning across work, school, and social relationships.

Low impact

Moderate impact

High impact

0 – 1.3: Low impact | 1.4 – 2.6: Moderate impact | 2.7 – 4: High impact

A score of 2 indicates a moderate level of difficulties in daily functioning that may interfere at times with work, studies, or relationships.

example score

3/4

Problems / Symptoms (P/S)

Measures the severity of self-reported psychological problems and symptoms over the recent period.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 1.3: Low | 1.4 – 2.6: Moderate | 2.7 – 4: High

A score of 3 falls in the High range, suggesting a notable level of distressing problems or symptoms relative to this scale.

example score

2/4

Subjective Well-Being Deficit (SWBD)

This scale measures the degree of deficit in subjective well-being and emotional comfort, with higher scores indicating greater distress.

Low deficit

Moderate deficit

High deficit

0 – 1: Low deficit | 2 – 3: Moderate deficit | 4: High deficit

A score of 2 falls in the Moderate deficit range, suggesting a noticeable reduction in perceived well-being and emotional comfort at the time of assessment.

example score

2/4

CORE-OM Total Score (COTS)

The Overall CORE-OM Score measures the person’s general level of psychological distress and difficulties in emotional functioning.

Low distress

Moderate distress

High distress

0 – 1.3: Low distress | 1.4 – 2.6: Moderate distress | 2.7 – 4: High distress

A score of 2 indicates a moderate level of overall psychological distress, suggesting noticeable but not extreme difficulties in mood and functioning.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Clients starting therapy

41%OF USERS

People beginning counseling who want a clear baseline of distress to guide the first phase of treatment.

Clients in ongoing treatment

34%OF USERS

People already in therapy who complete it periodically to track changes in mood, anxiety, and overall wellbeing between sessions.

Clinicians monitoring outcomes

25%OF USERS

Therapists and counselors who use client self-ratings to quantify progress and adjust the treatment plan.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Risk / Harm (R/H)

Average

1.7

Normal range

1.1 — 2.2

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Difficulties in Life Functioning (DiLF)

Average

2.8

Normal range

2 — 3.5

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Problems / Symptoms (P/S)

Average

1.6

Normal range

0.9 — 2.3

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Deficit of subjective well-being (Dosw)

Average

1.2

Normal range

0.5 — 1.8

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Overall CORE-OM Score (OCS)

Average

1.5

Normal range

0.7 — 2.2

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

Please answer the 34 questions about how you have been feeling over the past week.

- Not at all
- Only occasionally
- Sometimes
- Often
- Most of the time
- Not at all
- Only occasionally
- Sometimes
- Often
- Most of the time
- Not at all
- Only occasionally
- Sometimes
- Often
- Most of the time

These are 3 of the 34 real questions — the rest appear in the test. No sign-up needed to start.

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WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) Test - Symptoms and Signs

psychotherapy

In routine clinical practice, the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) is used to obtain a brief patient-reported snapshot of psychological distress and related functioning over time. It is commonly administered repeatedly to support outcome monitoring and clinical decision-making.

Developed by Evans, C., this self-report measure includes 34 items and typically takes about 7 minutes to complete. Items sample multiple domains of emotional and psychological well-being, allowing clinicians to summarize overall symptom burden and observe change across sessions. Scores from the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) can be used alongside clinical interview data to inform treatment planning, track response to intervention, and identify areas that may warrant additional assessment.

Author: Evans, C.

Literature: Evans, C., Mellor-Clark, J., Margison, F., Barkham, M., Audin, K., Connell, J., & McGrath, G. CORE: Clinical outcomes in routine evaluation. Journal of Mental Health. 2000.