Kessler Psychological Distress Scale – K6
A brief screening scale used to assess non-specific psychological distress and screen for serious mental illness.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale – K6 was developed by Ronald C. Kessler (2002). It is designed to measure Psychological Distress. The scale is intended for use with General population (adults).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 6 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = None of the time, 1 = A little of the time, 2 = Some of the time, 3 = Most of the time, 4 = All of the time.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 24. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low distress (No serious mental illness): 0 – 12
- High distress (Likely serious mental illness): 13 – 24
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.89.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.