Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)

A 13-item yes/no screening tool for bipolar spectrum disorders (bipolar I, bipolar II, and subthreshold bipolar disorder). It assesses lifetime history of manic/hypomanic symptoms and functional impairment.

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?

2. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were so irritable that you shouted at people or started fights or arguments?

3. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you felt much more self-confident than usual?

4. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you got much less sleep than usual and found you didn’t really miss it?

5. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were much more talkative or spoke faster than usual?

6. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and thoughts raced through your head or you couldn’t slow your mind down?

7. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were so easily distracted by things around you that you had trouble concentrating or staying on track?

8. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you had much more energy than usual?

9. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were much more active or did many more things than usual?

10. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were much more social or outgoing than usual, e.g., telephoning friends in the middle of the night?

11. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you were much more interested in sex than usual?

12. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and you did things that were unusual for you or that other people might have thought were excessive, foolish, or risky?

13. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and spending money got you or your family into trouble?

14. If you checked YES to more than one of the above, have several of these ever happened during the same period of time?

15. 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?

Note: The MDQ performs better in psychiatric settings than in general population screening. A shorter version and clinician-rated versions exist.

Scoring Table

Parameter	Points
Symptom Items	No: 0 points Yes: 1 points
Cluster	No: False points Yes: True points
Impairment	No problem: 0 points Minor problem: 1 points Moderate problem: 2 points Serious problem: 3 points

References

Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. American Journal of Psychiatry (2000). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11431233/
Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) (2000). https://www.sadag.org/images/pdf/mdq.pdf

Medical Disclaimer

This calculator is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

MDQ is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. A positive screen requires formal psychiatric evaluation.
Sensitivity is moderate (~70-80%); some bipolar cases may be missed.
Symptoms may be misattributed to other conditions (e.g., ADHD, substance use, borderline personality disorder).

Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)

Scoring Table

References

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