MDQ [Mood Disorder Questionnaire]

The MDQ is a brief screening instrument for bipolar disorder. It asks about the lifetime presence of 10 symptoms of mania, and so is most sensitive for bipolar I disorder.

Created by Drs. Robert M.A. Hirschfeld, Janet B.W. Williams, Robert L. Spitzer and colleagues. The scale has been published by the authors and widely distributed, though Dr. Hirschfeld retains copyright.

More: doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.157.11.1873

1. Has there ever been a period of time when you were not your usual self and... YES NO
... 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?
... 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 more energy 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 in 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?

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?


 

Self-report scales are for screening purposes only, and must be interpreted by a qualified health professional in conjunction with clinical assessment. They cannot be used alone for diagnostic or treatment purposes.