What is the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10)?

The K10 is a simple 10-item questionnaire intended to yield a global measure of non-specific psychological distress based on anxiety and depression symptoms experienced in the past 4 weeks.

Who developed the K10 and when?

Developed by Ronald Kessler and colleagues in 2002 as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative.

What type of assessment is the K10?

It is a self-report screening questionnaire for general psychological distress.

What does the K10 measure?

• Anxiety symptoms: Nervousness, restlessness, agitation
• Depressive symptoms: Hopelessness, sadness, worthlessness
• Fatigue: Tiredness and energy depletion
• General distress: Overall psychological discomfort

How is the K10 scored?

Each item is rated from 1-5 (1=none of the time, 5=all of the time), with total scores ranging from 10-50.

What are the score interpretations?

• 10-15: Low psychological distress
• 16-21: Mild psychological distress
• 22-29: Moderate psychological distress
• 30-50: High psychological distress

What are the strengths of the K10?

Brief, easy to administer, cross-culturally validated, sensitive to change, suitable for population screening.

What are the limitations?

Non-specific measure, requires follow-up assessment for diagnosis, may be influenced by physical health conditions.