Translate Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale - 11-Item (KADS-11)

Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale - 11-Item (KADS-11)

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The <strong>Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale - 11-Item (KADS-11)</strong> is a widely used adolescent self-report screening instrument developed to identify symptoms associated with depression and emotional distress in teenagers and young people.
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The KADS-11 focuses on mood symptoms, irritability, sleep difficulties, low motivation, anxiety, emotional distress, fatigue, concentration problems, reduced enjoyment, and suicidal thoughts commonly associated with adolescent depression.
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The questionnaire was specifically designed using language and descriptions that are more relatable and understandable for adolescents, helping improve emotional self-awareness and symptom reporting.
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<h4>Psychological Domains Measured</h4>
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<strong>Depressed Mood</strong>
<span>Measures sadness, emotional emptiness, low mood, emotional exhaustion, and reduced emotional engagement.</span>
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<strong>Irritability</strong>
<span>Measures frustration tolerance, anger, emotional reactivity, and difficulty managing emotions.</span>
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<strong>Sleep Difficulties</strong>
<span>Measure insomnia, disrupted sleep patterns, nighttime restlessness, and changes in usual sleep functioning.</span>
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<strong>Social Withdrawal and Interest Loss</strong>
<span>Measure reduced social engagement, loss of interest in activities, and emotional disengagement from relationships and hobbies.</span>
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<strong>Worthlessness and Hopelessness</strong>
<span>Measure negative self-evaluation, hopelessness, guilt, and feelings of personal failure.</span>
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<strong>Fatigue and Low Energy</strong>
<span>Measure tiredness, low motivation, exhaustion, reduced energy, and difficulty initiating tasks.</span>
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<strong>Concentration Difficulties</strong>
<span>Measure attention problems, distractibility, mental focus difficulties, and academic concentration impairment.</span>
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<strong>Reduced Pleasure and Enjoyment</strong>
<span>Measure loss of pleasure, emotional numbness, and reduced ability to enjoy normally enjoyable experiences.</span>
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<strong>Anxiety and Nervousness</strong>
<span>Measure excessive worry, tension, nervousness, panic feelings, and emotional overactivation.</span>
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<strong>Physical Anxiety Symptoms</strong>
<span>Measure bodily symptoms related to anxiety including headaches, nausea, shaking, restlessness, and physical tension.</span>
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<strong>Self-Harm and Suicidal Thoughts</strong>
<span>Measure suicidal thinking, self-harm thoughts, suicidal planning, and self-injurious behavior.</span></div></div>
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The KADS-11 is commonly used in adolescent psychology, psychiatry, school mental health settings, primary healthcare, youth counseling, and research environments. The questionnaire is intended as a screening instrument and should not be used as a standalone diagnostic tool.
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Participants are asked to answer each question based on how they have been feeling recently.

For each item, adolescents select the response that best describes the frequency or severity of their emotional experiences, thoughts, behaviors, and physical symptoms.

The questionnaire is brief and designed to help identify emotional difficulties that may benefit from additional support or professional evaluation.

This assessment is intended for adolescents and young people and is designed for educational, screening, and research purposes only.

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

Individuals experiencing severe emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, self-harm behavior, hopelessness, or major impairment in daily functioning are strongly encouraged to seek immediate support from a qualified mental health professional, healthcare provider, trusted adult, or emergency service.

Responses are scored on a 0–3 scale according to symptom frequency and severity.

Higher scores generally indicate stronger depressive symptoms, anxiety, emotional distress, low motivation, fatigue, concentration difficulties, and suicidal risk indicators.

The KADS-11 is commonly used as a screening tool to help identify adolescents who may benefit from additional mental health support or clinical evaluation.

Low mood, sadness, feeling blah or down, depressed, just can’t be bothered.

Irritable, loosing your temper easily, feeling pissed off, loosing it.

Sleep difficulties - different from your usual (over the years before you got sick): trouble falling asleep, lying awake in bed.

Feeling decreased interest in: hanging out with friends; being with your best friend; being with your boyfriend/girlfriend; going out of the house; doing school work or work; doing hobbies or sports or recreation.

Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, letting people down, not being a good person.

Feeling tired, feeling fatigued, low in energy, hard to get motivated, have to push to get things done, want to rest or lie down a lot.

Trouble concentrating, can’t keep your mind on schoolwork or work, daydreaming when you should be working, hard to focus when reading, getting “bored” with work or school.

Feeling that life is not very much fun, not feeling good when usually (before getting sick) would feel good, not getting as much pleasure from fun things as usual (before getting sick).

Feeling worried, nervous, panicky, tense, keyed up, anxious.

Physical feelings of worry like: headaches, butterflies, nausea, tingling, restlessness, diarrhea, shakes or tremors.

Thoughts, plans or actions about suicide or self-harm.