The Mood Thermometer (BSRS-5) is a simple mental health self-assessment tool that helps quickly screen for anxiety, depression, anger and other psychological distress. It is widely used in suicide prevention, community screening and mental health research. Learn about the origins, applications and online testing methods of mood thermometers.
What is a mood thermometer?
The Mood Thermometer, also known as the Short Form Health Rating Scale (BSRS-5), is a self-assessment tool used to screen for psychiatric symptoms. The aim is to quickly understand an individual’s mental health needs so that necessary mental health services can be provided. Compared with other screening scales, the Mood Thermometer is short and easy to use, and research results show that it has good reliability and validity even in large-scale community surveys.
The Origin of Mood Thermometer
The mood thermometer is derived from the Psychiatric Symptoms Scale (SCL-90-R) compiled by Derogatis. Professor Li Mingbin from the Department of Psychiatry at National Taiwan University Hospital and others revised it into the Short Form Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-50), and used the scale to screen 721 inpatients, and finally simplified it into the Short Form Health Scale containing 5 questions. (BSRS-5), the Mood Thermometer.
Effectiveness of Mood Thermometer
The first five questions of the Mood Thermometer measure the severity of five common psychological distresses: anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem and insomnia. Each item in this scale is highly related to depression, anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal relationships. Research shows that the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) of the mood thermometer is 0.77-0.90 and the test-retest reliability is 0.82, which shows that the mood thermometer is a valid scale.
Mood Thermometer Application
In addition to personal self-evaluation, mood thermometers are also widely used in the following areas:
- Suicide Prevention: Suicide Prevention Centers use mood thermometers as a suicide risk assessment tool to assess the level of emotional distress and severity of suicidal thoughts in different people and settings.
- Community Mental Health Screening: Mood Thermometers can be used in large-scale community surveys to screen for potential mental health issues.
- Medical Institutions: Mood Thermometer can help medical staff understand the patient’s mental health status and provide corresponding support and treatment.
- Research: Mood thermometers are used in many mental health-related studies, such as studies on the epidemiological characteristics of suicide attempters.
How to use the mood thermometer online test?
- Click the Start Test button below to enter the test.
- Read the test instructions and questions carefully.
- Score each question based on actual performance over the past week (including today). The scale ranges from 0 to 4, with 0 indicating not at all, 1 indicating slight, 2 indicating moderate, 3 indicating severe, and 4 indicating extremely severe.
- After completing all questions, submit your answers and the system will automatically calculate your total score.
The mood thermometer provided by PsycTest official website has a total score of 0-24, which can be divided into several levels according to the score. It should be noted that the mood thermometer is only used as a tool for self-detection and assessment of psychological distress. Its scoring results are for personal reference only and are not a basis for diagnosis.
