About the DASS-21

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were developed by Peter Lovibond and Syd Lovibond at the University of New South Wales. The 21-item short form takes about three minutes, asks about the past week, and separates three related states that other screeners blur together.

What do the DASS-21 subscales mean?

Depression, anxiety, and stress are scored separately; each subscale sum is doubled to match the full DASS. The bands (normal, mild, moderate, severe, extremely severe) are different for each subscale and are shown on your result.

Is the DASS-21 free?

Yes. The DASS scales are in the public domain.

Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, Lovibond & Lovibond (1995), University of New South Wales. Public domain. Page reviewed by Michael RoBards, LCSW, September 2026.