Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) Test

Understand whether past hypomanic symptoms may be present alongside recurring depression in about 6 minutes. 32 quick items support clearer diagnosis and better-informed treatment planning.

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Questions: 326 minutes

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

25,876 views

3,643 completions

2,644 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

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How the Scales are Structured

example score

25/32

Hypomania Scale (HS)

Measures the presence and intensity of past hypomanic symptoms to help flag possible bipolar II features in people with recurrent depression.

Below cut-off

Above cut-off

0 – 14: Below cut-off | 15 – 32: Above cut-off

A score of 25 falls above the cut-off, indicating a higher level of reported hypomanic features that may warrant further clinical evaluation.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Recurrent depression patients

46%OF USERS

People with repeated depressive episodes who want to check whether past hypomanic periods might point to Bipolar II rather than unipolar depression.

On antidepressants with mood shifts

33%OF USERS

People who notice bursts of energy, irritability, reduced sleep, or risky behavior—especially after starting or changing antidepressants—and want to screen for hypomania.

Clinician-referred screening

21%OF USERS

People asked by a psychiatrist, therapist, or primary care clinician to complete a quick hypomania questionnaire to guide further assessment and treatment planning.

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

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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.

Hypomania Scale (HS)

Average

8.8

Normal range

4 — 13.5

min.

max.

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Example Questions From the Test

In most people’s lives, there are periods of “highs” and “lows,” accompanied by changes in energy level, activity, and mood. The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain a detailed description of periods of “highs.” Please try to recall a period when you were in an “elevated” state. How did you feel at that time? Please answer the questions regardless of how you feel right now.

- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No

These are 3 of the 32 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

Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) Test - Symptoms and Signs

bipolar disorder

depression

hypomania

psychopathology

This questionnaire is used to screen for a history of hypomanic symptoms in individuals with recurrent depressive episodes when bipolar spectrum illness is a clinical consideration. The Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) is commonly administered as a brief self-report measure to support diagnostic clarification and guide follow-up assessment.

Developed by Jules Angst, it consists of 32 items and typically takes about 6 minutes to complete. The Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) focuses on periods of elevated energy, increased activity, sociability, and related behavioral changes across the lifespan rather than current mood state, and results are intended to be interpreted in the context of a comprehensive clinical evaluation rather than as a standalone diagnosis.

Author: Jules Angst

Literature: Goodwin, G. M., Haddad, P. M., Ferrier, I. N., Aronson, J. K., Barnes, T., Cipriani, A., Coghill, D. R., Fazel, S., Geddes, J. R., Grunze, H., Holmes, E. A., Howes, O., Hudson, S., Hunt, N., Jones, I., Macmillan, I. C., Miklowitz, D. R., Morriss, R., Munafò, M., Paton, C., Saharkian, B. J., Saunders, K. E. A., Sinclair, J. M. A., Taylor, D., Vieta, E., & Young, A. H. Evidence-based guidelines for treating bipolar disorder: Revised third edition recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2016.; Hirschfeld, R. M. A., Williams, J. B. W., Spitzer, R. L., Calabrese, J. R., Flynn, L., Keck, P. E., Lewis, L., McElroy, S. L., Post, R. M., Rapport, D. J., Russell, J. M., Sachs, G. S., & Zajecka, J. Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2000.; Forty, L., Smith, D., Jones, L., Jones, I., Caesar, S., Fraser, C., Gordon-Smith, K., & Craddock, N. Identifying hypomanic features in major depressive disorder using the hypomania checklist (HCL-32). Journal of Affective Disorders. 2009.; Feng, Y., Xiang, Y.-T., Huang, W., Wang, G., Feng, L., Tian, T.-F., Geng, Y., Ungvari, G. S., Chiu, H. F. K., Tse, A. W. Y., & Angst, J. The 33-item Hypomania Checklist (HCL-33): A new self-completed screening instrument for bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2016.