A quick, evidence-based questionnaire that gauges expectations about the future and feelings of hopelessness.

  • Answer based on how you have felt during the past week.
  • Most people finish in < 3 minutes.
  • Choose the option that best reflects you—there are no right or wrong answers.
  • You can revisit any item using the list on the right before finishing.
  • Your responses stay on this device and are never uploaded.
{{ progressPercent }}%
  • {{ q.id }}. {{ q.text }}
Your BHS Result
Total {{ totalScore }} – {{ severityName }}

Scores range from 0 – 20; higher numbers indicate greater hopelessness.

This screen does not diagnose depression or suicidality. If feelings of hopelessness worry you, please speak with a qualified mental-health professional.

Your Answers
# Item Response
{{ a.id }} {{ a.text }} {{ a.answer }}
Tags: Psychology , Psychometrics
Export to PDF Fullscreen
:

Hopelessness beliefs are expectations about the future that shape motivation and planning. Higher levels can coincide with withdrawal or stalled progress, while lower levels align with resilience and persistence.

The Beck Hopelessness Scale summarizes these beliefs using 20 short statements answered true or false. It provides one total score and a band from minimal to severe so you can read the pattern without guessing.

You respond for the past week and then compare how often discouraging statements were endorsed versus how often hopeful ones were not. The result highlights the balance and suggests simple next steps you can consider.

For example, someone who marked false on four hopeful items and true on three discouraging items would receive a score of 7, which sits in the mild band, and the profile would note a tilt toward lower positive expectations.

Questionnaires are snapshots that shift with context and mood, so treat small moves near a boundary cautiously and use similar conditions when you repeat. This tool provides informational estimates and does not substitute professional advice.

Technical Details:

The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) captures a snapshot of expectations about the future across 20 statements. Each item reflects either a hopeful belief or a discouraging belief, and answers are recorded as true or false for the past week.

The computation transforms item answers into a count of “hopeless endorsements.” Hopeful items add to the count when answered false, and discouraging items add when answered true. The sum is the total score, interpreted alongside a severity band and balance indicators that summarize positive expectations not endorsed and negative expectations endorsed.

Results are grouped into bands that map the count to broad ranges of concern. Values near a boundary can feel ambiguous; when monitoring change, compare results collected under similar conditions and focus on consistent shifts rather than single points.

The scale is suited to within‑person tracking over time. It does not diagnose depression or suicidality, and it does not replace a clinical assessment when safety is a concern.

T = ∑ i=1 20 si
si = 1  if item i is hopeful and answered false, else 0 si = 1  if item i is discouraging and answered true, else 0
Symbol Meaning Unit/Datatype Source
T Total hopelessness score integer 0–20 Derived
si Item contribution after keying 0 or 1 Derived
P Positive (hopeful) items not endorsed integer 0–10 Derived
N Negative (discouraging) items endorsed integer 0–10 Derived
H Hopeful endorsements integer 0–20 Derived
T=P+N H=20−P−N
Worked example. If P=4 and N=3, then T=7. The band is Mild. The profile highlights lower positive expectations because positive items not endorsed exceed negative items endorsed by one.
Band Lower Bound Upper Bound Interpretation Action Cue
Minimal 0 3 Very low hopelessness. Maintain supportive routines.
Mild 4 8 Some pessimistic beliefs present. Track patterns and practice reframing.
Moderate 9 14 Pessimism more frequent. Consider structured skills and support.
Severe 15 20 High concern. Seek timely professional help.
  1. Classify each item as hopeful or discouraging using the built‑in key.
  2. Assign 1 if a hopeful item is answered false; else 0.
  3. Assign 1 if a discouraging item is answered true; else 0.
  4. Sum all 20 contributions to obtain T.
  5. Compute P and N, then derive H=20−P−N.
  6. Map T to the severity band and display balance indicators.

Units, precision, and rounding. All quantities are integer counts; no rounding is applied.

Field Type Min Max Step/Pattern Error Text Placeholder
Item response number 0 1 True or False (stored as 1 or 0) Not shown; incomplete items remain unanswered —
Encoded responses (r) string 20 chars 20 chars ^[01\-]{20}$ Invalid codes are ignored 20 characters of 0, 1, or –
Total score number 0 20 — — —
Input Accepted Families Output Encoding/Precision Rounding
Interactive answers True or False Total, band, balance indicators Integers None
Shareable code URL parameter r Prefilled answers 20 characters of 0, 1, or – Not applicable

Networking and storage. Processing is browser based. Responses are not uploaded, and files you download are created locally.

Diagnostics and determinism. Identical answers always produce the same score, band, and balance indicators. No randomization is used.

Security considerations. If you use the shareable code in a link, treat that link as sensitive. Do not share it unless you intend to disclose your responses.

Assumptions and limitations.

  • Reflects the past week; results may shift with recent events.
  • Designed for personal monitoring; not a diagnostic instrument.
  • Band labels are broad and may not match individual experience.
  • Near‑boundary scores can fluctuate with minor answer changes.
  • Self‑report can be influenced by context and demand characteristics.
  • Balance indicators summarize patterns; they are not subscores from factor analysis.
  • Encoded links expose answers; handle with care. Heads‑up
  • Printing and downloads are optional and for personal records only.
  • Gauge visualization is a summary; review item‑level drivers when needed.
  • The tool does not check for inconsistent responding or inattentive patterns.

Edge cases and error sources.

  • Incomplete assessments show partial progress but no final score.
  • Invalid encoded strings are ignored to avoid corrupting answers.
  • Accidental selection toggles can alter totals by one point.
  • Copying a link with an outdated code can preload old answers.
  • Very frequent retakes within a day can reduce interpretability.
  • Screen readers may require slower navigation for accuracy.
  • Clipboard access may be blocked by browser settings.
  • File downloads can be restricted by enterprise policies.
  • Font scaling can wrap long item text; review before finishing.
  • System dark mode affects colors but not scoring.
  • Resizing may delay chart redraw on very small screens.
  • Link trackers can expose the encoded string if sharing through third parties.

Step‑by‑Step Guide:

The Beck Hopelessness Scale yields a total score and band that summarize expectations about the future.

  1. Read each statement and choose True or False.
  2. Continue until all 20 are answered; progress updates as you go.
  3. Use the item list to revisit any answer before finishing.
  4. Review the total, band, and balance indicators on the results screen.
  5. Optionally copy or download your answers for personal records.
Example. Four hopeful items marked false and three discouraging items marked true produce a total of 7 (Mild).

Finish by noting one small action you will try this week based on the highlights.

FAQ:

What does the score measure?

It counts how often discouraging beliefs were endorsed and how often hopeful beliefs were not, then maps the total to a severity band.

Is my data stored?

Responses remain on your device. No account or server storage is used. If you share a link with a code, that link can reveal your answers.

How accurate is it?

Scoring is deterministic and simple addition. Interpretation is broad; use consistent conditions and track changes over time for clearer trends.

What time frame do answers cover?

Answer based on how you have felt during the past week for best comparability.

Can I prefill or share my responses?

Yes. A 20‑character code in a URL parameter can preload answers. Share only if you intend to disclose your responses.

Can I use it without internet?

Once the page is loaded, answering and scoring work without a connection. Downloads and clipboard depend on your browser permissions.

What does a borderline result mean?

Scores near a band boundary can fluctuate. Repeat under similar conditions and look for a consistent pattern across several assessments.

Is there a cost or license?

No signup is required. Licensing details are not stated here; use results for personal insight and discussion with a professional if needed.

Troubleshooting:

  • No score shown: complete all items first.
  • Chart missing: resize the window or finish all answers to trigger rendering.
  • Copy failed: allow clipboard access or use the download option.
  • Download blocked: check browser or organization policies for file saving.
  • Encoded link not working: ensure it has exactly 20 characters of 0, 1, or –.
  • Item list not scrolling: use the page scrollbar or smaller zoom.

Advanced Tips

  • Use the same time of day and setting when repeating the scale.
  • Track the balance between positive not endorsed and negative endorsed for pattern insight.
  • Review the top drivers list to identify statements to revisit in conversation.
  • Keep encoded links private if they contain responses.
  • Near boundaries, retake after a few days to confirm direction.
  • Use notes on what helped during weeks with lower scores.

Glossary

BHS
Beck Hopelessness Scale, a 20‑item measure of future expectations.
Hopeless endorsement
An answer counted toward the total after keying.
Positive not endorsed (P)
Number of hopeful items answered false.
Negative endorsed (N)
Number of discouraging items answered true.
Hopeful endorsements (H)
Answers that reflect hopefulness across all items.
Severity band
Category mapping the total to Minimal, Mild, Moderate, or Severe.