In crisis? Call or text 988 (US) · Samaritans 116 123 (UK/IE) · findahelpline.com

Mood & Depression · 3 min · 13 questions

MDQ: Mood Disorder Questionnaire

Thirteen yes/no questions about lifetime periods of elevated mood or energy. About 3 minutes.

Medical disclaimer: this is a validated screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic test. Only a qualified health professional can diagnose a condition. Your answers are processed in your browser and are never sent or stored.

MDQ: 0 of 13 answeredScore: 0 / 13 · Negative screen

Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and…

  1. 1.…you felt so good or so hyper that other people thought you were not your normal self, or you were so hyper that you got into trouble?
  2. 2.…you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights or arguments?
  3. 3.…you felt much more self-confident than usual?
  4. 4.…you got much less sleep than usual and found that you didn't really miss it?
  5. 5.…you were much more talkative or spoke much faster than usual?
  6. 6.…thoughts raced through your head or you couldn't slow your mind down?
  7. 7.…you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had trouble concentrating or staying on track?
  8. 8.…you had much more energy than usual?
  9. 9.…you were much more active or did many more things than usual?
  10. 10.…you were much more social or outgoing than usual — for example, you telephoned friends in the middle of the night?
  11. 11.…you were much more interested in sex than usual?
  12. 12.…you did things that were unusual for you or that other people might have thought were excessive, foolish or risky?
  13. 13.…spending money got you or your family into trouble?

MDQ result

Answer all 13 questions for a complete result. Current partial score shown.

0
out of 13
Negative screen
Range 0–6

Your responses make a bipolar spectrum disorder unlikely, though this screener cannot rule it out.

Recommended next steps

  • If mood swings concern you, discuss them with a doctor.
  • Depression screeners (PHQ-9) may be more relevant if low mood is the main issue.

Answer the remaining questions to enable the report:

  • MDQ:

Screening result only, not a diagnosis. Share it with a doctor or therapist.

MDQ scoring guide

ScoreInterpretationSuggested action
0–6Negative screenIf mood swings concern you, discuss them with a doctor.
7–13Positive screenArrange an evaluation with a psychiatrist or doctor experienced in mood disorders.

Clinical background

What it measures

The MDQ screens for a lifetime history of manic or hypomanic symptoms. The full questionnaire also asks whether symptoms occurred during the same period and how much impairment they caused — this online version scores the 13 symptom items.

How it is scored

A positive screen requires 7 or more 'yes' answers, symptoms clustering in the same period, and moderate or serious functional impairment (Hirschfeld et al., 2000). Sensitivity is about 73% and specificity 90% in psychiatric outpatients.

Reference: Hirschfeld RMA, Williams JBW, Spitzer RL, et al. Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. Am J Psychiatry. 2000;157(11):1873–1875.