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Tags: Psychology , Psychometrics
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Psychological distress is the mix of worry, low mood, and fatigue that makes day to day life feel harder. The Kessler 10 is a short questionnaire that summarizes how often these feelings showed up over the last 4 weeks.

You answer ten items and pick how often each feeling occurred, then you read a single score that lands in a clear band from low to severe. Alongside the total, you see patterns for anxiety features, low mood, and fatigue with effort so you can spot where the load is highest.

For a simple example, a person who often felt nervous and very tired might see a higher pattern for anxiety and fatigue while the overall score still falls in a moderate band. Using the same 4 week window each time helps you compare changes.

This self check supports awareness and planning, and it works best when you answer quickly and honestly. It is not a diagnosis, and if your results worry you or you feel unsafe, please seek professional care.

Technical Details:

The Kessler 10 (K10) measures psychological distress across ten frequency items scored from one to five over a recent 4 week period. Each item reflects how often a feeling was present, forming a snapshot rather than a lifetime trait.

The primary computation is a total score that sums all item values. Three concept clusters are also tallied: anxiety features, low mood, and fatigue with effort. Cluster percentages are derived by first normalizing each item to zero to four, then dividing by each cluster’s maximum and converting to percent.

Results are interpreted using four bands that indicate increasing distress: low, mild, moderate, and severe. Values near a boundary should be read cautiously, and repeating the check after a short interval can clarify a trend.

Comparisons are most meaningful within the same person using similar conditions and timing. Population norms are not applied here, and the scale is a screening measure intended to guide next steps rather than provide a clinical label.

S= ∑ i=1 10 xi
Symbol Meaning Unit/Datatype Source
xi Response value for item i (frequency) integer 1–5 Input
S Total K10 score integer 10–50 Derived
Araw Sum of anxiety items (2, 3, 5, 6) integer 4–20 Derived
Mraw Sum of low mood items (4, 7, 9, 10) integer 4–20 Derived
Fraw Sum of fatigue/effort items (1, 8) integer 2–10 Derived
pcluster Normalized cluster percent 0–100 % Derived
p= ∑ (x−1)i maxNorm ×100%
Worked example. Suppose the ten responses are 3, 4, 2, 3, 5, 2, 4, 3, 3, 2.
S= 3+4+2+3+5+2+4+3+3+2 =31

A total of 31 falls in the severe band. Anxiety items sum to 13 of 20 and normalize to 56 %, which reads as a moderate cluster level.

Threshold band Lower bound Upper bound Interpretation Action cue
Low 10 19 Minimal distress Maintain healthy routines
Mild 20 24 Some distress Strengthen self care
Moderate 25 29 Notable distress Consider professional support
Severe 30 50 High distress Seek timely clinical review

Units, precision, and rounding

Items and totals are integers. Cluster percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percent using standard rounding. Decimal separators are dots when shown.

Validation and bounds

Field Type Min Max Step/Pattern Error text Placeholder
Response value Radio choice 1 5 step 1 — —
Encoded answers (r) String (length 10) — — ^[1-5\-]{10}$ — 10 characters

I/O and storage

Input Accepted families Output Encoding/precision Rounding
Ten item selections Five-point frequency scale Total, band, cluster summaries Integers; 0–100 % for clusters Nearest whole percent for clusters
Answer exports Copy or download CSV and DOCX summaries Plain text and document file Not applicable

Networking and storage behavior

  • Processing occurs on the device; no responses are sent to a server.
  • One charting script may be fetched to render the gauge once the results page is shown.
  • Answers can be encoded into a 10‑character URL value; sharing that link can reveal responses.

Performance, determinism, and security

  • Computation is constant time and memory for a fixed ten items.
  • Identical inputs always yield identical totals and bands.
  • Inputs are constrained to known values; unrecognized encodings are ignored.

Assumptions & limitations

  • Screening measure for awareness; it does not diagnose a condition.
  • Four bands are ordinal and do not imply equal intervals.
  • Boundary values can fluctuate across days and contexts.
  • Cluster labels are descriptive and not clinical subtypes.
  • No age or population norms are applied.
  • High fatigue may reflect sleep, health, or context beyond mood.
  • Link sharing can expose responses; clear the URL before sharing.
  • Charts are cosmetic; results remain valid without the gauge.

Edge cases & error sources

  • Incomplete answers show progress only; totals appear after all ten are answered.
  • Rapid switching can overwrite a previous choice.
  • Stale URLs with r encodings can repopulate old answers.
  • Copying a link mid‑way encodes missing items as dashes.
  • Very similar totals near cutpoints can alternate bands across repeats.
  • Percentages are rounded; small changes may not display.
  • Accessibility tools may read the gauge value but not background color bands.
  • Browser autofill does not apply to radio groups.
  • Private browsing may limit clipboard features for exports.
  • Script blockers can prevent the chart from rendering.
This tool provides informational estimates and does not substitute professional advice.

Step‑by‑Step Guide:

The K10 screening yields a total score and band, plus three cluster summaries you can track over time.

  1. Read each statement and recall the last 4 weeks.
  2. Pick how often the feeling occurred using the five options.
  3. Continue until all ten answers are selected.
  4. Review the total score and band, then scan the cluster summaries.
  5. Save answers if needed using the export options.
  6. Repeat on a future date under similar conditions to compare.

Example: If most answers are “some of the time,” the total may sit in the mild or moderate band, and the cluster with the most “most of the time” answers will show higher.

Use the band and the highest cluster to decide your next step.

FAQ:

Is my data stored?

Processing stays on the device. If you share a link that contains encoded answers, others with the link may view those responses.

Clear the URL before sharing.
How accurate is the result?

The K10 is a screening measure. It reflects recent frequency of distress and uses broad bands. Use it to guide reflection and next steps, not to diagnose.

What units or formats are used?

Items are integers from one to five. The total ranges from 10 to 50. Cluster summaries show 0 to 100 percent after normalization.

Can I use it without a network?

Yes. Scoring works on the device. If the charting script cannot load, the numeric results still display but the gauge may be absent.

Can I export my answers?

Yes. You can copy a comma‑separated table, download it, or export a document summary of your answers and scores.

How do I interpret a borderline score?

Values near a cutpoint can shift with small changes. Repeat the check after a short interval and consider the cluster pattern and how you feel overall.

How do I calculate the score manually?

Assign one to five for each item, add all ten values, then read the band using the table. Optionally total the listed items for each cluster.

Does it cost anything?

No account is required. Refer to the host site’s terms for licensing and reuse.

Glossary:

Kessler 10 (K10)
Ten item screening scale of psychological distress.
Psychological distress
Combined impact of worry, sadness, and fatigue on daily life.
Item value
Chosen frequency score from one to five.
Total score
Sum of all ten item values.
Cluster
Group of items indicating anxiety, low mood, or fatigue.
Normalized percent
Cluster sum mapped to 0 to 100 after zero basing.
Severity band
Category describing overall distress level.
Encoded answers
Ten‑character string that represents the selections.