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This self-assessment Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) , was originally developed by Stuart Montgomery and Marie Asberg . TraitProfiler provides an interactive digital version for educational, informational, and self-exploration purposes only.

Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

Background

The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a widely recognized clinical assessment tool designed to measure the severity of depressive episodes in individuals experiencing mood-related disorders.
The MADRS was originally developed by psychiatrist Stuart Montgomery and psychiatrist Marie Asberg to provide a sensitive and reliable method for evaluating changes in depressive symptoms during treatment and clinical care.
The questionnaire focuses primarily on emotional, cognitive, and psychological symptoms of depression rather than physical or somatic complaints, making it especially useful in psychiatric and clinical treatment settings.

Psychological Domains Measured

Apparent Sadness
Measures visible sadness, emotional despair, facial expression changes, and outward depressive appearance.
Reported Sadness
Measures subjective feelings of sadness, hopelessness, emotional suffering, and depressed mood.
Inner Tension
Measures anxiety, emotional tension, panic feelings, inner distress, and psychological discomfort.
Reduced Sleep
Measures insomnia, disrupted sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, and nighttime difficulties.
Reduced Appetite
Measures appetite loss, reduced desire for food, and eating difficulties associated with depression.
Concentration Difficulties
Measures focus problems, mental distraction, difficulty thinking clearly, and reduced cognitive concentration.
Lassitude
Measures fatigue, reduced motivation, slowed activity, and difficulty initiating everyday tasks.
Inability to Feel
Measures emotional numbness, reduced pleasure, emotional detachment, and inability to experience normal feelings.
Pessimistic Thoughts
Measures guilt, hopelessness, self-criticism, negative thinking, and pessimistic emotional beliefs.
Suicidal Thoughts
Measures suicidal thinking, hopelessness about life, thoughts of death, and suicidal planning or preparation.

The MADRS is commonly used in psychiatry, psychology, healthcare, antidepressant treatment research, and mood disorder assessment settings. The questionnaire is intended as a clinical assessment instrument and should not be used as a standalone diagnostic tool.

Procedure

This assessment is typically administered by a trained clinician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or qualified healthcare professional through a structured interview process.

Participants are rated according to the severity and intensity of depressive symptoms experienced during the previous week.

Each item is scored on a scale from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity and emotional impairment.

Participation

This assessment is intended for clinical, educational, and research purposes only.

Results should not be considered a standalone psychiatric diagnosis or substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric, or medical evaluation.

Individuals experiencing severe depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, emotional crisis, or major impairment in daily functioning are strongly encouraged to seek immediate support from a qualified mental health professional or emergency healthcare service.

Scoring & Interpretation

Responses are scored on a 0–6 severity scale according to symptom intensity and functional impact.

Higher scores generally indicate stronger depressive symptoms, emotional suffering, hopelessness, cognitive difficulties, and suicidal risk indicators.

The MADRS is especially recognized for its sensitivity to changes in depression severity and is commonly used to monitor treatment progress during psychiatric care.

Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Questionnaire

Instructions & Terms

Below is the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a digitally adapted 10- items self-assessment questionnaire. This assessment does not provide a clinical diagnosis, medical determination, or substitute for professional psychological evaluation.

Question 1 of 10 Apparent Sadness

Apparent Sadness - Representing despondency, gloom and despair, (more than just ordinary transient low spirits) reflected in speech, facial expression, and posture. Rate by depth and inability to brighten up.


Question 2 of 10 Reported Sadness

Reported Sadness - Representing reports of depressed mood, regardless of whether it is reflected in appearance or not. Includes low spirits, despondency or the feeling of being beyond help and without hope. Rate according to intensity, duration and the extent to which the mood is reported to be influenced by events.


Question 3 of 10 Inner Tension

Inner Tension - Representing feelings of ill-defined discomfort, edginess, inner turmoil, mental tension mounting to either panic, dread or anguish. Rate according to intensity, frequency, duration and the extent of reassurance called for.


Question 4 of 10 Reduced Sleep

Reduced Sleep - Representing the experience of reduced duration or depth of sleep compared to the subject’s own normal pattern when well.


Question 5 of 10 Reduced Appetite

Reduced Appetite - Representing the feeling of a loss of appetite compared with when well. Rate by loss of desire for food or the need to force oneself to eat.


Question 6 of 10 Concentration Difficulties

Concentration Difficulties - Representing difficulties in collecting one’s thoughts mounting to incapacitating lack of concentration. Rate according to intensity, frequency, and degree of incapacity produced.


Question 7 of 10 Lassitude

Lassitude - Representing a difficulty getting started or slowness initiating and performing everyday activities.


Question 8 of 10 Inability to Feel

Inability to Feel - Representing the subjective experience of reduced interest in the surroundings, or activities that normally give pleasure. The ability to react with adequate emotion to circumstances or people is reduced.


Question 9 of 10 Pessimistic Thoughts

Pessimistic Thoughts - Representing thoughts of guilt, inferiority, self-reproach, sinfulness, remorse and ruin.


Question 10 of 10 Suicidal Thoughts

Suicidal Thoughts - Representing the feeling that life is not worth living, that a natural death would be welcome, suicidal thoughts, and preparations for suicide. Suicidal attempts should not in themselves influence the rating.




Psychometric Norms

4
Participants
65%
Community Mean
7.5%
Sample SD
75%
Highest Observed Score
58%
Lowest Observed Score
2026–2026
Collection Period

Current normative data for theCurrent normative data for the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) are derived from 4 anonymous participant responses collected through TraitProfiler between 2026 and 2026. All response data are collected anonymously and are intended exclusively for educational, psychometric, and non-commercial research purposes.

Sources
  1. Montgomery, S. A., & Asberg, M. A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change.