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What does the DASS-21 measure? Depression, anxiety, and stress scales explained

The DASS-21 measures three negative emotional states over the past week: depression, anxiety, and stress. [1][2] It treats them as dimensions that differ by degree, not as diagnoses. [2]

What is each scale about?

The depression scale covers low mood, hopelessness, self-criticism, loss of interest or enjoyment, and low energy. The anxiety scale covers physical arousal, muscle tension, situational anxiety, and subjective anxious feelings. The stress scale reflects chronic, non-specific arousal, including difficulty relaxing, nervous tension, being easily upset, irritability or over-reactivity, and impatience. [2]

So the DASS "stress" scale is not a measure of how many demands you face. It describes a state of tension. If you want a general measure of how overloaded life has felt, use the PSS-10.

Why does the DASS treat these as dimensions?

The developers use a dimensional model, in which differences between normal and clinical states are differences of degree. The DASS therefore has no direct implications for assigning people to discrete diagnostic categories. [2] Its scales only loosely correspond to diagnostic categories, and the scale scores are dimensional rather than categorical. [3]

Is it the same as a burnout or stress-at-work test?

No. A burnout questionnaire asks about exhaustion and distance from work. The DASS asks about emotional states, whatever their cause. Both can be relevant when work is wearing you down, and the developers note that occupational stress probably involves all three DASS syndromes. [3] But a DASS score cannot tell you that work is the cause.

Does it diagnose depression or anxiety?

No. The DASS is not a diagnostic instrument. [3][5] The University of Bristol's scoring sheet says it cannot diagnose depression, anxiety, or stress, but gives an indication of whether these are having a significant effect on a person's life, and that a high score needs further exploration, possibly with a referral to a specialist. [5]

What does the DASS-21 leave out?

It does not ask about work, workload, or support, and it has no scale for burnout. It does not ask directly about thoughts of harming yourself, although one depression statement asks about feeling life was meaningless. [4] If you have such thoughts, do not wait for a questionnaire: tell someone and seek urgent help.

Sources and further reading

These links open external research and health-information websites.

  1. LuriaLab: DASS-21 test page
    Twenty-one items, seven per subscale, past week, 0 to 3 scale, scoring statement, age 17+, and disclaimers. Read on 24 October 2026.
  2. UNSW Psychology Foundation: Overview of the DASS
    What the three scales cover, the 4-point rating, the past-week time frame, and the dimensional model. Read on 24 October 2026.
  3. UNSW Psychology Foundation: DASS frequently asked questions
    DASS-21 versus the full DASS, multiplying by 2, what the severity labels mean, that the DASS is not diagnostic, occupational stress, and age. Read on 24 October 2026.
  4. DASS-21 response form (P. F. Lovibond, UNSW)
    The 21 statements, the 0 to 3 labels, and the past-week instruction.
  5. University of Bristol: DASS-21 scoring and interpretation
    The sum-and-double instruction, the severity table, and the statement that the DASS is not a clinical instrument and cannot diagnose.

This page is educational. A questionnaire score cannot establish a diagnosis or explain the cause of your symptoms. If you are struggling, speak with a doctor or mental health professional, whatever your score. Read when to get help for work stress or find a helpline in your country.