Doomscrolling Scale Test

Understand how negative news scrolling affects your mood and stress in about 3 minutes. Get quick, clear insight to spot risk for burnout and guide healthier media habits.

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Questions: 153 minutes

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08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

14894 views

1871 completion

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Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

4/7

Doomscrolling (D)

Assesses the tendency toward prolonged, compulsive engagement with negative online news and its emotional impact.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 3 – 5: Moderate | 6 – 7: High

A score of 4 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting an occasional-to-frequent pattern of doomscrolling with a noticeable but not extreme impact on mood.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Anxious news consumers

41%OF USERS

People who find themselves compulsively checking negative headlines and notice increased worry, irritability, or sleep issues afterward.

Stressed professionals and students

34%OF USERS

Those juggling work or studies who use news scrolling as a break but end up feeling more overwhelmed and less focused.

Therapy and counseling clients

25%OF USERS

People exploring mental health concerns who want a quick screening to discuss information overload and coping strategies with a specialist.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

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Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Doomscrolling Scale (DS)

Average

Normal range

1.9 — 4

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire assess?

It assesses frequent, hard-to-stop scrolling through negative news and related emotional strain. It also reflects reliance on such content for attention or reassurance.

How long does it take to complete and how many items are included?

Completion typically takes about 3 minutes. The questionnaire includes 15 items.

How are responses recorded?

Each item is rated on a seven-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Responses should reflect typical behavior rather than a single event.

Who can use the results?

Results can support research, screening, and psychological consultation. They are not a standalone diagnosis and should be interpreted in context.

How should results be interpreted if scores are high?

Higher scores suggest greater exposure to negative news, less control over scrolling, and stronger negative emotional impact. They may indicate increased risk for stress-related symptoms linked to information overload.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Doomscrolling Scale Test

cyberpsychology social networks

This measure is designed to assess engagement in repetitive consumption of distressing news content and its perceived emotional impact. The Doomscrolling Scale is administered as a brief self-report questionnaire intended to support screening and research use.

Developed by Larry D. Rosen, it includes 15 items and typically takes about 3 minutes to complete. Respondents rate statements about their news-scrolling habits and related affective responses, with scores used to characterize the degree of maladaptive or excessive engagement. The Doomscrolling Scale should be interpreted in context and used as part of a broader clinical or psychosocial assessment rather than as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Author: kimberly-s-young, Larry D. Rosen

Literature: Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., Shablack, H., Jonides, J., & Ybarra, O. Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PLOS ONE. 2013.; Sharma, B., Lee, S. S., & Johnson, B. K. The dark at the end of the tunnel: Doomscrolling on social media newsfeeds. Technology, Mind, and Behavior. 2022.

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