Bipolar Test: Screen Your Mood Patterns for Possible Bipolar Spectrum Symptoms
This bipolar test screens for a history of unusually elevated or irritable mood and energy. Based on the MDQ, it gives an instant result that considers symptoms, their timing, and their impact.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Bipolar Test is a free, confidential 15-question self-assessment, based on the validated MDQ. It takes about 8 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 2 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
A real screen, scored the way the research intends
A bipolar screen is more than counting symptoms. The MDQ asks whether manic or hypomanic experiences happened together and caused problems, and we score all three parts the way the validation study does.
Lifetime symptom count
Thirteen yes-or-no questions about manic and hypomanic experiences you may have had at any point in your life. The core of the MDQ, scored from 0 to 13.
The screening threshold
Seven or more symptoms is the cutoff the validation research uses. We show you exactly where you land and explain what crossing it does and does not mean.
The co-occurrence and impact gate
A true positive screen also requires that the symptoms happened in the same period and caused real problems. We ask both and factor them into your result, the way clinicians do. Here, a positive screening result means the questionnaire rule is met; it does not mean a diagnosis has been confirmed.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Validated MDQ questions | Sometimes | Yes, all 13 symptoms |
| Co-occurrence + impairment gate | No | Yes, both gate items |
| Full positive-screen rule explained | Rarely | Yes, in plain language |
| Clinician-reviewed interpretation | Rarely | Yes, clinician reviewed |
| Optional in-depth personalized report | No | Yes, written to your exact scores |
| Confidential (no data sent) | Often tracked | Runs in your browser |
How scoring works
Answers are scored 0–13 in total. Your result falls into one of 2 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–6 | Below the screen threshold | You reported fewer than seven of the symptoms the MDQ counts, so this screen is negative on the symptom count. The sections below still offer useful context. |
| 7–13 | Positive screen range | You reported seven or more symptoms, which reaches the MDQ threshold. Whether this counts as a full positive screen also depends on your two answers in Part 2. |
How common is this?
A bipolar test screens for a pattern of symptoms that may need professional assessment; population statistics cannot determine your diagnosis. Screening questions land differently when you know how many other people are answering them the same way. Our bipolar disorder statistics page collects the current numbers on bipolar disorder in the United States, each one with its source and the year it was measured next to it.
None of those figures say anything about your own result. They are context for it, and a reminder that whatever the score, this is common ground rather than rare territory.
Who This Test Is For
This screen is worth taking if you have noticed stretches of unusually high energy, reduced need for sleep, or racing thoughts that stand out from your usual mood, especially if family members or friends have commented on the change. It is also useful if you have been treated for depression before and antidepressants alone did not seem to help, since an unrecognized bipolar pattern is one reason that can happen.
It does not replace a full evaluation for related conditions. If your mood cycles are milder and more chronic, the Cyclothymia Test screens for that pattern specifically. If your main concern is low mood without any high periods, the Depression Test is a better place to start.
Signs It Might Be Time to Talk to a Professional
Certain signs point toward getting a professional evaluation sooner rather than later: a positive screen on this test, mood swings that disrupt work, relationships, or finances, periods of impulsive spending or risk-taking followed by crushing lows, or family members expressing concern about behavior you do not fully remember. A psychiatrist or therapist experienced with mood disorders can take a full history that a questionnaire cannot.
Keeping a simple daily mood and sleep tracker for a few weeks before your appointment gives a clinician more to work with than memory alone, and it can help you spot patterns on your own. When you are ready to find support, the Psychology.com therapist directory lets you search for clinicians who work with mood disorders.
The Mood Tracker can help you record changes in mood, sleep, energy, and daily functioning to bring to an appointment. Include periods when you felt unusually well or energetic, and any concerns others noticed. You can find related self-assessments through the Psychology.com tests hub; completing additional screens is optional and should not delay care.
Seek urgent help if unusually high energy or agitation comes with dangerous behavior, loss of contact with reality, or inability to stay safe. For immediate danger, contact emergency services. Discuss medication concerns with your prescriber and do not stop prescribed medication because of a screening result.
Can a negative bipolar test rule out bipolar disorder?
A negative MDQ screen cannot rule out bipolar disorder. The result depends on which past experiences you recognize, whether they happened together, and how you judge their impact. A period that felt productive or enjoyable to you may have concerned people around you, so their observations can be useful during an assessment.
On this page, unsure and prefer not to say answers do not add to the symptom count or satisfy the timing and impact questions. If you were uncertain, tell the clinician which experiences were difficult to judge. A low score with incomplete recall deserves a different discussion from a clear history without those experiences.
Bring your concerns even if the screening rule is not met. A clinician considers the course of mood symptoms, changes from your usual functioning, medical conditions, medications, and substance use. The MDQ does not determine whether a particular episode is happening now or distinguish a bipolar subtype.
Methodology & sources
The 13 symptom questions reproduce the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) developed by Hirschfeld and colleagues (2000), worded to stay faithful to the validated instrument while reading clearly. Each is answered yes or no, for a symptom count from 0 to 13. The validation study found that a count of 7 or more, combined with two further conditions, best identified people likely to have a bipolar spectrum disorder.
Crucially, the MDQ is positive only when three things are all true: at least 7 symptoms, several of those symptoms happening during the same period, and the symptoms causing moderate or serious problems. We capture the last two as separate gate questions and explain them in your result. This test is provided for education and self-reflection, not diagnosis. A positive screen means a professional assessment is worthwhile, not that you have bipolar disorder, and a negative screen does not rule it out.
In the original validation study, the full MDQ screening rule, seven or more symptoms plus the co-occurrence and impairment gate, correctly identified about 73 percent of people who had a bipolar spectrum disorder and correctly screened out about 90 percent of those who did not. No screening tool is perfect at either job, which is why a positive result is a prompt to seek an evaluation rather than a stand-in for one.
The published accuracy figures describe the original study sample and are not an individual probability of having bipolar disorder. This page also offers unsure and prefer not to say responses and converts the impact question into a yes-or-no decision. Those presentation changes have not been separately validated here; the original study does not establish this page's accuracy.
References
- Hirschfeld RM, Williams JB, Spitzer RL, et al. Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. Am J Psychiatry. 2000;157(11):1873-1875.
- Hirschfeld RM, Holzer C, Calabrese JR, et al. Validity of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire: a general population study. Am J Psychiatry. 2003;160(1):178-180.
- Zimmerman M, Galione JN. Screening for bipolar disorder with the Mood Disorders Questionnaire: a review. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2011;19(5):219-228.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar Disorder. nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Bipolar Test. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/bipolar
Bipolar Test FAQ
What is a bipolar test based on the MDQ?
It is a short, research-based screening that asks about lifetime manic and hypomanic symptoms, whether they happened together, and whether they caused problems. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is the most widely used bipolar screen, but it is a screening tool, not a diagnosis.
Is this the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)?
Yes. The questions follow the Mood Disorder Questionnaire developed by Hirschfeld and colleagues (2000), the most widely used screening questionnaire for bipolar spectrum conditions: 13 yes-or-no symptom items, whether several happened during the same period, and how much of a problem they caused. If you were asked to complete an MDQ before an appointment, this page walks through the same items and explains what a positive screen means. If a clinician requested the MDQ, ask whether they need their own questionnaire format and bring any uncertain answers to the appointment.
What counts as a positive MDQ screen?
A positive screen needs all three parts: at least 7 of the 13 symptoms, several of them occurring during the same period, and those symptoms causing moderate or serious problems. Meeting all three suggests a professional evaluation is worthwhile. The symptom count alone is insufficient; review the timing and impact answers before interpreting the result.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is for education and self-reflection only. Bipolar disorder can only be diagnosed by a licensed clinician through a careful interview and history. A positive screen is a reason to seek that assessment, not a conclusion. The assessment also considers possible medical, medication-related, or substance-related explanations for changes in mood and energy.
What is the difference between mania and hypomania?
Both involve elevated or irritable mood with extra energy, but mania is more severe and can include psychosis or require hospitalization, while hypomania is milder and shorter. The MDQ asks about both because each matters for the bipolar spectrum. A clinician assesses changes from your usual behavior, duration, and effects on daily functioning to distinguish them.
Is the test really confidential?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Your individual answers are scored in your browser and are never sent to us or linked to you. They stay in this tab so you can return to your result, and closing or clearing the tab clears them. If you ask us to email the PDF, we receive your summary scores with your email address, never your individual answers. No account is needed.
Can bipolar disorder be managed?
Yes. Bipolar disorder can be managed with professional care, often involving medication, psychotherapy, and attention to sleep and daily routines. Treatment decisions depend on the person's symptoms and medical history. A screening result cannot select a treatment or predict outcomes. If you already receive care, discuss concerns with your clinician before changing prescribed medication.
How accurate is the MDQ bipolar test?
In the questionnaire's original validation study, the full screening rule correctly identified about 73 percent of people with a bipolar spectrum disorder and correctly screened out about 90 percent of those without one. That makes it a useful first step, but like any screening tool it can miss cases or flag people who do not have the condition, so results are a starting point for evaluation, not a final answer.
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