DADS-22© [1]is preliminary psychometric scale widely used instrument for measuring agitated depression tendencies and impact. Participation in this quiz is completely anonymous and we do not collect personal information nor do we store your results. This quiz is NOT designed to make a diagnosis of any depressive disorders.
Agitated depression which is the subtype of depression refers to inner restlessness, and increased physical and mental agitation. People with agitated depression tend to experience anxiety, irritability, lethargy, and restlessness. They also experience typical depressive symptoms such as sadness, difficulty in concentration, and hopelessness.
DSM-5 does not list agitated depression as a separate mood disorder but generally “major depressive disorder” is used as the main term for depressive conditions. Research emphasis on understanding agitated depression and its impact. This leads to the development of psychometric scales for measuring and understanding agitation depression symptoms as a separate feature or as a subtype of depressive disorders.
Deenz Agitated Depression Scale is based on modern perspectives and research on agitated depression. The purpose of the scale is to measure tendencies towards agitated depression and the impact of symptoms on overall well-being.
Scoring
Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale.
Sum the scores for all items within a facet to get a facet score.
Total score = sum of all facet scores.
Higher scores indicate greater severity of agitated depression traits.
Facet Scores
- Agitation: 3 items, 0–12 (if 0–4 per item)
- Irritability: 3 items, 0–12
- Anxiety: 3 items, 0–12
- Dysphoria: 3 items, 0–12
- Cognition: 3 items, 0–12
- Fatigue: 3 items, 0–12
- Guilt: 3 items, 0–12
- Impulsivity: 3 items, 0–12
- Behavior: 3 items, 0–12
- Total: 27 items, 0–108
Interpretation (Facet Scores)
- 0–3: Minimal trait expression
- 4–7: Mild trait expression
- 8–12: Moderate to high trait expression
Example: If someone scores 9 in Agitation, they are experiencing high physical restlessness.
Interpretation (Total Score)
- 0–27: Minimal agitated depression
- 28–54: Mild agitated depression
- 55–81: Moderate agitated depression
- 82–108: Severe agitated depression
Total score helps understand overall severity, while facet scores highlight specific areas of difficulty.
Statements per Subscale
Restlessness and physical tension.
- 1. I have been feeling very restless and unable to sit still.
- 2. I feel like my body is constantly tense or on edge.
- 3. I notice I move around or fidget without realizing it.
Easily angered or frustrated.
- 1. I get irritated or angry over small things.
- 2. I feel like I have a shorter temper than usual.
- 3. I find myself snapping at people more often.
Inner tension and worry.
- 1. I have been feeling more anxious or keyed up than usual.
- 2. My mind feels constantly active and unable to calm down.
- 3. I feel inner pressure as if something bad is about to happen.
Sadness and loss of pleasure.
- 1. I have been feeling hopeless or worthless.
- 2. I have lost interest in activities that once made me happy.
- 3. I feel emotionally drained and low most of the time.
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
- 1. I have difficulty concentrating on tasks.
- 2. I struggle to make simple decisions.
- 3. My thoughts feel scattered and hard to control.
Tiredness and lack of energy.
- 1. I have been feeling physically exhausted or weak.
- 2. My muscles feel tight or tense most of the day.
- 3. I feel drained even after resting.
Feeling blame or shame about oneself.
- 1. I often feel guilty for things that are not my fault.
- 2. I feel ashamed of who I am or how I’ve behaved.
- 3. I blame myself when things go wrong.
Acting without thinking under distress.
- 1. I act without thinking when I’m upset or agitated.
- 2. I feel like I’m losing control over my emotions.
- 3. My moods can change suddenly without reason.
Changes affecting relationships or actions.
- 1. I avoid people or situations because I fear I’ll lose my temper.
- 2. My irritability has caused problems with friends or family.
- 3. I have noticed negative changes in my behavior recently.
People often use the term agitated depression informally to describe a person who is feeling sad along with restlessness and agitation. In psychology, agitated depression is a combination of experiencing depressive symptoms along with inner agitation or restlessness. Sometimes we feel down and hopeless and this leads us to experience restlessness, pacing, and irritability, it is a normal response to the situation. People with agitated depression experience these symptoms persistently and it impacts their social, mental, and interpersonal relationships. Agitated depression is not officially recognized as a mental health condition but the term agitated depression describes specific depression symptoms which can occur with any individual suffering from a major depressive disorder.
The main aim behind the development of Deenz Agitated Depression Scale was to measure the tendencies towards agitated depression symptoms among college students. Currently, this scale is in the preliminary phase meaning it has not yet been validated on a diverse population. In the pilot testing phase, the scale has been found accurate in measuring symptoms and the impact but we are waiting for ethical approval for extensively testing or validating the scale on a diverse population. This quiz is a computerized version of the scale and is not part of the research conducted on the development of the scale. The results provided should not be considered as diagnosis and the information provided through results is provided for educational purposes only.
References
- Deen Mohd Dar. Introducing the Deenz Agitated Depression Scale (DADS-22): A Brief Measure of Agitated Depression Traits. Authorea. March 05, 2024. https://doi.org/10.22541/au.170967710.04061557/v1 ↩