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Depression Symptom and Severity Questionnaire

Depression Symptom and Severity Questionnaire Test

Understand depression symptoms and severity in about 14 minutes. ICD-10 aligned results map symptom patterns and depth to guide care plans and track progress over time.

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Questions: 7214 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

28,755 views

6,020 completions

2,478 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

1/6

Depressed Mood (DM)

Assesses the intensity of lowered mood as a core depressive symptom, with higher scores indicating more pronounced low mood.

Minimal

Significant

0 – 4: Minimal | 5 – 6: Significant

A score of 1 falls in the Minimal range, indicating low mood is currently reported at a low level on this scale.

example score

4/6

Bleak View of the Future (BVotF)

Measures the degree of pessimistic, gloomy expectations about the future as a depressive symptom indicator.

Low

Moderate

Significant

0 – 3: Low | 4: Moderate | 5 – 6: Significant

A score of 4 indicates a moderate gloomy outlook on the future, below the level typically considered clinically significant on this scale.

example score

3/6

Defensiveness/Dissimulation (D)

Measures the tendency to underreport, minimize, or conceal depressive symptoms, which can affect the interpretability of results.

Low dissimulation

Elevated dissimulation

0 – 3: Low dissimulation | 4 – 6: Elevated dissimulation

A score of 3 falls in the Low dissimulation range, suggesting little indication of deliberate underreporting on this validity scale.

example score

3/6

Symptom Exaggeration/Malingering (SE)

Assesses the tendency to exaggerate or simulate depressive symptoms, which can affect the reliability of the questionnaire results.

Typical responding

Elevated exaggeration risk

High simulation risk

0 – 3: Typical responding | 4: Elevated exaggeration risk | 5 – 6: High simulation risk

A score of 3 falls in the Typical responding range, suggesting no notable tendency to exaggerate symptoms on this control scale.

example score

4/6

Decreased Appetite (DA)

Assesses the extent of reduced appetite as a depressive symptom.

None to mild

Clinically significant

0 – 4: None to mild | 5 – 6: Clinically significant

A score of 4 indicates none to mild reduced appetite and falls below the level considered significant on this scale.

example score

3/6

Sleep Disturbance (SD)

Measures the severity of sleep disruption that may accompany depressive symptoms.

None to mild

Significant

0 – 4: None to mild | 5 – 6: Significant

A score of 3 falls in the none-to-mild range, suggesting limited sleep disturbance on this scale.

example score

2/6

Self-Harm Ideation (SHI)

Assesses the presence and intensity of thoughts or behaviors related to self-harm or suicide as an additional symptom of depression.

None/Low

Clinically significant

0 – 4: None/Low | 5 – 6: Clinically significant

A score of 2 falls in the None/Low range, suggesting little to no endorsement of self-harm or suicidal thoughts/behaviors on this scale.

example score

3/6

Guilt Ideation (GI)

Measures the intensity of guilt and self-deprecating thoughts as a depressive symptom dimension.

Low

Moderate

High

0 – 3: Low | 4: Moderate | 5 – 6: High

A score of 3 falls in the Low range, suggesting guilt-related and self-deprecating thoughts are present at a low intensity.

example score

3/6

Low Self-Esteem (LSE)

Measures reduced self-esteem and confidence that can accompany depressive states.

Within typical range

Clinically significant

0 – 4: Within typical range | 5 – 6: Clinically significant

A score of 3 falls within the typical range, suggesting low self-esteem is not prominent on this scale.

example score

3/6

Reduced Attention (RA)

Measures reductions in the ability to concentrate and sustain attention as a depressive-associated symptom.

None/minimal

Symptom present

0 – 4: None/minimal | 5 – 6: Symptom present

A score of 3 falls in the none/minimal range, suggesting no notable reduction in attention on this scale.

example score

1/6

Decreased Energy (DE)

Assesses the extent of reduced energy and increased fatigue associated with depressive symptoms.

Low/none

Significant

0 – 4: Low/none | 5 – 6: Significant

A score of 1 falls in the Low/none range, suggesting minimal reported fatigue or energy reduction on this scale.

example score

3/6

Loss of Interest (LoI)

Measures the degree of reduced interest and diminished capacity to experience pleasure associated with depressive states.

Low

Elevated

0 – 3: Low | 4 – 6: Elevated

A score of 3 suggests a low level of loss of interests, with some reduction in enjoyment or engagement but not pronounced.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Clients in therapy

44%OF USERS

People already seeing a psychologist or psychotherapist take it to clarify their current symptoms and track change over sessions.

People with persistent low mood

33%OF USERS

Individuals who suspect depression use it to identify which symptoms they have and how severe they feel.

Clinicians screening new referrals

23%OF USERS

Mental health professionals use it at intake to quickly map symptom patterns and decide on an initial treatment plan.

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

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Therapist

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

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Used in 52+ countries

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.

Low mood (Lm)

Average

4.2

Normal range

3.1 — 5.2

min.

max.

Majority

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.

A Gloomy Vision of the Future (AGVotF)

Average

2.7

Normal range

1.8 — 3.7

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Secrecy/Dissimulation (S)

Average

2.5

Normal range

1.6 — 3.5

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Aggravation/Simulation (A)

Average

2.4

Normal range

1.3 — 3.4

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Reduced appetite (Ra)

Average

Normal range

0.9 — 3

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Disrupted Sleep (DS)

Average

1.9

Normal range

1.1 — 2.6

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Self-harm ideas (Si)

Average

4.3

Normal range

3.2 — 5.3

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Ideas of Guilt (IoG)

Average

2.7

Normal range

1.9 — 3.5

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Low Self-Esteem (LS)

Average

2.3

Normal range

1.3 — 3.2

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Reduced attention (Ra)

Average

2.8

Normal range

1.8 — 3.8

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Reduced Energy Levels (REL)

Average

4.5

Normal range

3.5 — 5.5

min.

max.

Majority

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.

Loss of Interests (LoI)

Average

3.5

Normal range

2.7 — 4.3

min.

max.

Majority

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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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures depressive symptoms and their severity. It also profiles which symptom domains are most prominent.

What standards are used to define the symptoms?

Items are aligned with ICD-10 criteria for depressive conditions. This supports coverage of core and associated features.

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

Completion typically takes about 14 minutes. The questionnaire includes 72 items.

How should responses be completed?

Answer every item based on the specified time frame and current functioning. Select the response that best matches typical experience rather than rare exceptions.

How are results used in clinical or research settings?

Results summarize overall severity and the pattern of symptoms. They can support initial assessment and track change over time.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Depression Symptom and Severity Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

depression

This measure is designed to support structured evaluation of depressive symptoms and their severity. The Depression Symptom and Severity Questionnaire is intended to help characterize the presence and relative intensity of common depressive features for clinical documentation and treatment planning. It is attributed to Aaron T. Beck.

The questionnaire consists of 72 items and typically requires about 14 minutes to complete. Results are generally interpreted as a symptom profile and severity estimate rather than as a standalone diagnostic determination, and may be used for baseline assessment and follow-up monitoring. In practice, the Depression Symptom and Severity Questionnaire can be administered alongside clinical interview and other assessment data to inform case formulation and track change over time.

Author: Aaron T. Beck

Literature: Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Psychological Corporation. 1996.

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