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Kessler Distress Scale (K10)
10 questions for assessing psychological distress over the past 4 weeks.
10 questions · about 3 minutes · free, no sign-up
In the past 4 weeks, how often did you feel the following?
Your result
A questionnaire cannot diagnose anything. It shows how much something has been bothering you lately, and that is a starting point for a conversation — with a professional, or with someone you trust.
If you are thinking about harming yourself, please do not wait: call your local emergency number, or find a helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.
How the score is read
Add up your answers: the total runs from 10 to 50.
| Score | Level |
|---|---|
| 10–15 | Low distress |
| 16–21 | Moderate distress |
| 22–29 | High distress |
| 30–50 | Very high distress |
A score is a number. What does it mean for you?
In Luther the same questionnaire comes with a personal reading: what your answers point to, what has changed since last time, and what is worth trying next. Your first day is free, with no card.
About this questionnaire
Source: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) — Kessler et al. (2002). © Ronald C. Kessler; free to use with attribution. Read the original publication →
Who developed it
The K10 was developed by Ronald C. Kessler of Harvard Medical School and Daniel Mroczek in 1992–1994 for the United States National Health Interview Survey. Its ten questions were chosen from a pool of 612 candidate items so that the scale would be most sensitive at the upper end of the distress range, where the difference between everyday stress and clinical distress lies. It was published in 2002 in Psychological Medicine, alongside its short form, the K6. The scale is copyright Ronald C. Kessler and free to use with attribution.
How it is used
Each answer scores from 1 to 5, so the total runs from 10 to 50. The K10 measures non-specific psychological distress over the last four weeks. It is used in population health surveys, above all in Australia, where it is part of the National Health Survey and where the bands used on this page come from: 10 to 15 low, 16 to 21 moderate, 22 to 29 high, 30 to 50 very high. Australian general practitioners fill it in with patients to help decide on referral for psychological treatment, and it is repeated through a course of care to see whether distress is falling.
What it does not measure
Distress is not a diagnosis, and the K10 does not try to tell anxiety from depression: the questions were chosen because they are common to both. A high score says that the last four weeks were hard, not why. Bereavement, exams, a new baby, illness or overwork can all put someone in the high band for a month. The scale does not ask about suicidal thoughts, trauma or how long the distress has lasted, and it was developed for adults.
What to do with your result
Scores of 10 to 15 are where most people sit most of the time. In the moderate band, notice what has been loading the last month and take the questionnaire again in four weeks. In the high band, and always in the very high band, talk to a doctor or a mental-health professional: very high scores are strongly associated with an anxiety or depressive disorder, and this is a number a professional will recognise straight away. Rest, movement and time with people who feel safe are not a treatment, but they lower distress measurably.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal K10 score?
Between 10 and 15. In Australian population surveys most adults score in this band, which is labelled low distress. Sixteen to 21 is moderate, 22 to 29 high and 30 to 50 very high.
What does a K10 score of 30 or more mean?
Very high distress. The very high band is strongly associated with meeting the criteria for an anxiety or depressive disorder, and it is the range in which a doctor would recommend an assessment. The scale itself cannot say which condition, or whether the last month was an exception.
What is the difference between the K10 and the K6?
The K6 is six of the ten questions, scored from 6 to 30, made for surveys with less room. The K10 gives a finer scale and is the one Australian health services use; the K6 is more common in the United States.
Is the K10 a test for anxiety or for depression?
Neither, on purpose. It measures the distress that both share: nervousness, hopelessness, restlessness, fatigue, worthlessness. If the score is high, a GAD-7 for anxiety or a PHQ-8 for depression can show which side is heavier.
Other questionnaires
Anxiety Test (GAD-7)
A 7-question questionnaire for assessing anxiety over the past 2 weeks. Helps identify generalized anxiety disorder.
Depression Test (PHQ-8)
8 questions for assessing depressive symptoms without evaluating suicidal risk. Time frame: the past 2 weeks.
PTSD Symptom Screening (PCL-5)
20 questions for assessing the severity of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms over the past month.
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
10 statements for assessing overall self-esteem. One of the most popular tools in psychology.
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Luther is an AI companion for everyday support. It is not therapy, not medical care and not a diagnosis. If you are thinking about harming yourself, please do not wait: call your local emergency number, or find a helpline for your country at findahelpline.com.