The questionnaire below has been carefully validated in large studies as being very reliable in picking up people who are likely to have bipolar disorder. It has deliberately been designed so that it is sensitive and it will suggest screening by a professional of some people who do not eventually turn out to have bipolar disorder. However, if you score low on the cutoffs for the questionnaire it is rather unlikely you have bipolar disorder.
The point of making this available is not to replace face to face consultation with a professional but as a helpful first step and as a tool which can be printed out and taken along to assist at such a discussion.Original reference: Hirschfeld, R.M.A. et al Development and Validation of a Screening Instrument for Bipolar Spectrum Disorder: The Mood Disorder Questionnaire Am J Psychiatry 2000 157: 1873-1875.
The point of making this available is not to replace face to face consultation with a professional but as a helpful first step and as a tool which can be printed out and taken along to assist at such a discussion.
Instructions
Please answer each question as best you can. Upon completing this form, use the scoring instructions at the bottom as a guideline. You can print your completed form and take it to discuss with your health care practitioner.
This screening instrument is not a substitute for a full medical and psychiatric evaluation. If you or your family are concerned about your mental condition, please contact a healthcare professional immediately.
This screening instrument is not a substitute for a full medical and psychiatric evaluation. If you or your family are concerned about your mental condition, please contact a healthcare professional immediately.
Questionnaire
1. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and...
...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?
...you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights or arguments?
...you felt much more self-confident than usual?
...you got much less sleep than usual and found you didn't really miss it?
...you were much more talkative or spoke much faster than usual?
...thoughts raced through your head or you couldn't slow your mind down?
...you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had trouble concentrating or staying on track?
...you had much more energy than usual?
...you were much more active or did many more things than usual?
...you were much more social or outgoing than usual, for example, you telephoned friends in the middle of the night?
...you were much more interested in sex than usual?
...you did things that were unusual for you or that other people might have thought were excessive, foolish, or risky?
...spending money got you or your family into trouble?
...you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights or arguments?
...you felt much more self-confident than usual?
...you got much less sleep than usual and found you didn't really miss it?
...you were much more talkative or spoke much faster than usual?
...thoughts raced through your head or you couldn't slow your mind down?
...you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had trouble concentrating or staying on track?
...you had much more energy than usual?
...you were much more active or did many more things than usual?
...you were much more social or outgoing than usual, for example, you telephoned friends in the middle of the night?
...you were much more interested in sex than usual?
...you did things that were unusual for you or that other people might have thought were excessive, foolish, or risky?
...spending money got you or your family into trouble?
2. If you checked YES to more than one of the above, have several of these ever happened during the same period of time?
Yes/No
3. How much of a problem did any of these cause you - like being unable to work; having family, money or legal troubles' getting into arguments or fights?
No Problem /Minor Problem /Moderate Problem/ Serious Problem
INTERPRETING THE SCORE
a "positive screen" includes
Q1 7 or more yes responses
Q2 Yes- i.e. these symptoms will have occurred together at the same time.
Q3 Yes- i.e. they must have caused some problems in aspects of your life
A score of 7 or more with yes responses to Q2 + Q3 certainly suggests bipolar disorder is a possibility and should be considered and discussed with a professional.
A score of less than 7 and negative responses to Q2 and/or Q3 makes bipolar disorder unlikely but cannot exclude it entirely.
The MDQ is only a guideline and cannot replace the detailed assessment of an experienced mental health professional.
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