Clinician or parent? Hand your device over with the score hidden, or send the test to their phone.
10 questions · about 3–6 minutes
For each one, pick the answer that fits you best over the past week. There are no right or wrong answers.
Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to email the results. This is a self-report adaptation of a clinician-administered scale. It is for educational purposes only and does not constitute a clinical diagnosis. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately by calling or texting 988.
- Questions
- 10
- Time
- 3–6 min
- Looks back over
- The past week
- Score range
- 0–60
- Cost
- Free
What the MADRS measures
- Apparent and reported sadness
- Inner tension and anxiety
- Reduced sleep
- Reduced appetite
- Concentration difficulties
- Lassitude (physical and mental fatigue)
- Inability to feel (emotional blunting)
- Pessimistic thoughts
- Suicidal thoughts
About the MADRS
The MADRS was developed by Stuart Montgomery and Marie Åsberg in 1979 as an alternative to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. It was specifically designed to be more sensitive to treatment-related changes in depression severity, which has made it the preferred outcome measure in many antidepressant clinical trials.
The MADRS focuses on the core psychological symptoms of depression rather than somatic complaints, which makes it particularly useful for distinguishing depression from physical illness. Each item is rated on a 0-6 scale with defined anchor points at 0, 2, 4, and 6, allowing for nuanced severity assessment.
Originally clinician-administered, this self-report adaptation preserves the scale's structure while allowing individuals to assess their own symptoms. Self-report scores should be interpreted as approximate estimates of clinical severity.
How the MADRS is scored
- Every question is answered on the same scale, from "0 – None" (0 points) to "6 – Severe" (6 points).
- The answers are added together for a total from 0 to 60.
- For example, answering "1" to all 10 questions gives 1 × 10 = 10, which falls in the Mild Depression range.
MADRS score ranges
The ranges this quiz uses to label a score. They describe where a score falls, not a diagnosis.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Normal / No Depression | 0–6 |
| Mild Depression | 7–19 |
| Moderate Depression | 20–34 |
| Severe Depression | 35–60 |
How to read the results
- It is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. The score describes the past week, and a label only says where that falls compared with the people the questionnaire was tested on. A word like "mild" does not mean a mild disorder.
- Look at the answers, not only the total. Which questions scored highest often says more about what to work on than the number does.
- Compare with yourself over time. Taking it again in a few weeks, or after starting therapy, shows whether things are moving. Compare each score with your own earlier one, not with someone else's.
- Talk it through. A clinician will ask what no questionnaire can: how long it has been like this, what else is going on, and how much it gets in the way.
- The safety question counts on its own. Question 10 asks about thoughts of death or self-harm. Any answer other than "0 – None" matters whatever the total, and is worth raising with a professional straight away. If you are having those thoughts now, call or text 988.
The MADRS compared with similar tests
| Test | Screens for | Questions | Looks back over | Asks about suicide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHQ-9 | Depression | 9 | The past two weeks | Yes |
| EPDS | Depression in pregnancy and after birth | 10 | The past seven days | Yes |
| CESD-R | Depression, as a community screen | 20 | The past two weeks | Yes |
| HAM-D | Depression, including physical symptoms | 17 | The past week | Yes |
| MADRS (this page) | Depression, and how it changes in treatment | 10 | The past week | Yes |
| GAD-7 | Generalized anxiety | 7 | The past two weeks | No |
| OCI-R | Obsessions and compulsions | 18 | The past month | No |
| HAM-A | Anxiety, including physical symptoms | 14 | The past week | No |
| DASS-21 | Depression, anxiety and stress, scored separately | 21 | The past week | No |
Using the MADRS with clients
- Baseline, then repeat. Give it at intake, then at regular intervals, and compare each score with the client's own earlier ones to see whether treatment is working.
- Hand to client. Give it on your own device in session. The questions fill the screen with nothing else on it, and the scores stay hidden until you take the device back and press Show results.
- Send to someone. Send a link before the session by text or email. Tick "Ask for a copy of their results" and their results page offers to email you their score. They decide whether to send it. Your address travels in the link itself and never reaches our servers.
- Copy summary and Print. The results screen copies a one-line summary for the session note, or prints the results on their own.
- Nothing is stored. Answers stay in the browser. Results leave it only when someone chooses to email them, and that email is not kept.
Diagnosis codes often documented for this concern
For reference only. A screening score is not a diagnosis, and none of these follows from a score on its own.
- F32.0 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Mild
- F32.1 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Moderate
- F32.2 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Severe
- F32.3 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Severe with Psychotic Features
- F32.9 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Unspecified
- F33.0 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Mild
- F33.1 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Moderate
- F33.2 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe
- F33.3 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe with Psychotic Features
- F33.9 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Unspecified
- F34.1 Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
- F43.21 Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
Where to go from here
- Depression Therapy at Crown Counseling · in Brooklyn and online across New York
- Free resources for therapists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MADRS?+
The Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a 10-item measure of depression severity developed in 1979. It is one of the most widely used instruments in clinical trials for antidepressants because it is particularly sensitive to changes in depression during treatment.
How is the MADRS different from the PHQ-9 and HAM-D?+
The PHQ-9 is a brief self-report screener aligned with DSM criteria. The HAM-D is a comprehensive clinician-rated scale including many somatic items. The MADRS focuses specifically on core psychological symptoms of depression and is designed to be most sensitive to treatment-related changes.
Why does each question use a 0–6 scale?+
The 7-point scale (0-6) allows for more nuanced rating of symptom severity than simpler scales. Anchor points are defined at 0 (absent), 2 (mild), 4 (moderate), and 6 (severe), with odd numbers representing intermediate levels.
What is the maximum possible score?+
The maximum score on the MADRS is 60 (10 items × 6 points each). Scores of 0-6 indicate no depression, 7-19 mild, 20-34 moderate, and 35-60 severe depression.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- Montgomery SA, Åsberg M. A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry. 1979;134:382-389.
- Williams JBW, Kobak KA. Development and reliability of a structured interview guide for the MADRS. Br J Psychiatry. 2008;192(1):52-58.
- Hawley CJ, Gale TM, Sivakumaran T. Defining remission by cut off score on the MADRS. J Affect Disord. 2002;72(2):177-184.
- Carmody TJ, Rush AJ, Bernstein IH, et al. The Montgomery Åsberg and the Hamilton ratings of depression. J Psychiatr Res. 2006;40(8):738-746.