A little perspective for a lot of work pressure. You are in the right place.
jobstresscheck. Explore assessments

Assessments

DASS-21 scoring: add, double, and read the severity labels

To score the DASS-21, add the seven item scores for each scale, then multiply each total by 2. [3][5] Compare each doubled score with its own table: depression, anxiety, and stress have different bands. The labels describe where a score falls in the population range. They are not diagnoses. [3]

How do you calculate DASS-21 scores?

Add the scores in each scale to get three totals. Then multiply each by 2, "because the DASS-21 is the short form of the scale," as the University of Bristol's scoring sheet puts it. [5] The developers say to remember to multiply by 2 when comparing DASS-21 scale scores with normative data and published studies. [3] LuriaLab says it does this and reports separate scores and severity bands. [1]

Seven answers to the stress statements adding to 9, then doubled to 18, which falls in the mild stress band.
A worked example with invented answers. [3][5]

What are the severity labels?

After doubling, a depression score of 0 to 9 is labelled normal, 10 to 13 mild, 14 to 20 moderate, 21 to 27 severe, and 28 or more extremely severe. The anxiety bands are 0 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 14, 15 to 19, and 20 or more. The stress bands are 0 to 14, 15 to 18, 19 to 25, 26 to 33, and 34 or more. [5]

A table with rows for normal, mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe, and columns for depression, anxiety, and stress score ranges.
DASS-21 severity labels after doubling. [3][5]

What do the labels actually mean?

The developers say any single clinical cut-off is somewhat arbitrary because depression and anxiety lie on a continuum, and that the labels describe the full population range. "Mild" means a score is above the population mean but still well below the typical severity of help-seeking people. It does not mean a mild form of a disorder. [3]

They also say the mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe labels appear only in the DASS manual, to avoid misinterpretation. [3] So a label you see on a website is a convenience taken from that manual, and it should be read with this caution in mind.

Should I add the three scores together?

No. Each scale has its own table, and the scales measure different things. Henry and Crawford found that each scale also taps a general dimension of psychological distress. [6] But the standard way to use the instrument is to read the three scores separately.

Why does my result look different from a simple sum?

Your result differs from a simple sum because the DASS-21 doubles each scale total. A stress total of 9 from the seven items is reported as 18. If you compare a raw total with the table, you will under-read it.

Is the result a percentage or a probability?

No. It is a score on a scale. It does not give the chance of having a condition, and it does not predict what will happen.

Common questions

Why do you multiply DASS-21 scores by 2?

Because the DASS-21 is the short form of the 42-item scale, doubling makes scores comparable with the original and with the severity table. [3][5]

What is a severe DASS-21 stress score?

26 to 33 after doubling, and 34 or more is labelled extremely severe. The labels describe where a score falls in the population range and are not diagnoses. [3][5]

Which DASS-21 statements belong to the stress scale?

Statements 1, 6, 8, 11, 12, 14, and 18 belong to the stress scale. Depression is 3, 5, 10, 13, 16, 17, and 21. Anxiety is 2, 4, 7, 9, 15, 19, and 20. [4][5]

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.
  6. Henry and Crawford (2005): The short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44, 227-239
    A UK general-population sample of 1,794 adults. Full text read.

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.