Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales – DASS-21
A 21-item self-report scale designed to measure the severity of core symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales – DASS-21 was developed by Lovibond, S.H. & Lovibond, P.F. (1995). It is designed to measure Depression, anxiety, and stress. The scale is intended for use with Adults and adolescents.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 21 items organized into 3 factors/subscales: Depression, Anxiety, Stress.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Depression | 3,5,10,13,16,17,21 | 7 |
| Anxiety | 2,4,7,9,15,19,20 | 7 |
| Stress | 1,6,8,11,12,14,18 | 7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Did not apply to me at all, 1 = Applied to me to some degree, or for some of the time, 2 = Applied to me to a considerable degree, or for a good part of time, 3 = Applied to me very much, or most of the time.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 0 to 42. Interpretation guidelines:
- Normal (Depression subscale score, multiplied by 2): 0 – 9
- Mild (Depression subscale score, multiplied by 2): 10 – 13
- Moderate (Depression subscale score, multiplied by 2): 14 – 20
- Severe (Depression subscale score, multiplied by 2): 21 – 27
- Extremely Severe (Depression subscale score, multiplied by 2): 28 – 42
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Depression alpha = 0.94, Anxiety alpha = 0.87, Stress alpha = 0.91.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.