K10
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
A brief, widely-used measure of non-specific psychological distress.
10
3 min
adult
10–50
About the K10
The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) is a ten-item measure of non-specific psychological distress experienced over the past four weeks. Rather than targeting a single disorder, it captures the anxiety and depressive symptoms common across mental-health conditions, which makes it a popular population and primary-care screen.
Each item is rated from 1 ("none of the time") to 5 ("all of the time"), giving a total from 10 to 50. Higher scores indicate greater distress and a higher likelihood of a current mental disorder.
What it measures
- Anxiety-related symptoms: nervousness, restlessness, and agitation
- Depressive symptoms: hopelessness, worthlessness, and feeling that everything is an effort
- Fatigue and the sense that nothing can lift one’s mood
K10 questions
- 1
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?
- 2
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel nervous?
- 3
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?
- 4
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel hopeless?
- 5
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel restless or fidgety?
- 6
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel so restless that you could not sit still?
- 7
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel depressed?
- 8
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel that everything was an effort?
- 9
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?
- 10
During the last 30 days, about how often did you feel worthless?
Items reproduced from a documented, freely usable source. Item wording is preserved exactly as published.
Scoring & interpretation
| Range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 10–19 | Likely well | Score in the population-typical range. |
| 20–24 | Mild | Mild psychological distress — monitor and consider follow-up. |
| 25–29 | Moderate | Moderate distress — clinical review indicated. |
| 30–50 | Severe | Severe distress — prompt clinical assessment recommended. |
Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.
Clinical applications
- Population mental-health surveys and epidemiology
- Primary-care and intake screening for likely mental disorder
- Outcome monitoring in stepped-care and community programmes
Frequently asked questions
What is a high K10 score?
Scores are often grouped as low (10–15), moderate (16–21), high (22–29), and very high (30–50) distress, with higher bands indicating a greater likelihood of a current mental disorder.
What does the K10 measure?
It measures non-specific psychological distress — the mix of anxious and depressive symptoms common to many conditions — over the previous four weeks.
Source & references
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