Mania & Hypomania Test (MDQ): Screen Your Lifetime Manic and Hypomanic Symptoms
This mania and hypomania test screens lifetime mood episodes using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). Get an instant symptom count with checks for symptoms occurring together and their impact on daily life.
Reviewed by Michael Callans, MSW 
Mania & Hypomania Test (MDQ) is a free, confidential 15-question self-assessment, based on the full MDQ. It takes about 11 minutes, runs entirely in your browser, and gives you a plain-language score across 3 interpretation bands plus an optional in-depth report. It is an educational screening, not a diagnosis.
Thirteen symptoms, and the two questions that make it a real screen
Mania and hypomania involve a distinct change from your usual mood, energy, and activity, sometimes with irritability and reduced need for sleep. The MDQ screens for lifetime experiences, then asks whether symptoms occurred together and caused problems. It cannot determine whether you are having an episode now.
The thirteen MDQ symptoms
Thirteen yes-or-no questions about periods when you were not your usual self: elevated or irritable mood, inflated confidence, less need for sleep, racing thoughts, fast talking, distractibility, extra energy and activity, and risky or out-of-character behavior. Seven or more is the validated threshold.
The three-part screening rule
A positive MDQ screen needs all three: at least 7 symptoms, several of them happening during the same period of time, and a moderate or serious impact on your life. We ask the clustering and impact questions separately and show them next to your symptom count.
Your whole life, not last week
Every question begins with whether there has EVER been a period when you were not your usual self. The MDQ screens lifetime history, so it can catch episodes that ended months or years ago, which is exactly what a clinician needs to know about.
| Feature | Typical free quiz | Psychology.com |
|---|---|---|
| Full MDQ symptom set | Sometimes | Yes, all 13 questions |
| Co-occurrence + impairment questions | Rarely | Yes, both asked and shown |
| Real three-part screening rule explained | Vague labels | 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 3 bands:
| Score | Band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 | Few elevated-mood experiences | You reported three or fewer of the thirteen MDQ symptoms, which is well below the screening threshold of seven. |
| 4–6 | Some elevated-mood experiences, below threshold | You reported four to six of the thirteen MDQ symptoms. That is a real number of elevated-mood experiences, but it sits below the validated screening threshold of seven. |
| 7–13 | Meets the symptom-count criterion | You reported seven or more of the thirteen MDQ symptoms, which meets the symptom-count part of the validated screening rule. Whether this is a full positive screen depends on your other two answers. |
Who this mania and hypomania test is for
This mania and hypomania test screens for past patterns of elevated or irritable mood and unusual energy; it cannot diagnose an episode. This test is a good fit if you have noticed a stretch of unusually high energy, confidence, or restlessness, especially if sleep dropped without you feeling tired, if people close to you have said you did not seem like yourself for a while, or if you have been treated for depression before and wonder whether a missed hypomanic episode was ever part of the picture. It is also useful for a partner or family member trying to make sense of what they have observed, though only the person having the experience can answer the questions honestly for themselves.
If your main experience has been steady low mood rather than elevated periods, the Depression Test may be the closer match, and if your mood shifts between milder highs and lows without reaching the intensity described here, the Cyclothymia Test looks at that specific pattern. Sleep changes that track with mood shifts are worth watching on their own, and Sleep Hygiene offers information about sleep routines, while a Mood Tracker can help you build a simple record to bring to an appointment.
In that record, describe when a change began and ended, how sleep and energy differed from usual, and what other people noticed. Include periods of depression and stretches when mood felt stable. Note medication changes and alcohol or other substance use. If you are unsure whether past experiences occurred together, bring that uncertainty to the appointment instead of forcing a clear timeline from memory.
When describing sleep, distinguish wanting to sleep but being unable to from sleeping much less while feeling unusually rested or energized. The reduced need for sleep associated with elevated episodes is assessed together with changes in mood, speech, activity, and judgment. A Mood Tracker entry can include both sleep and next-day energy so a clinician can understand the pattern. The Psychology.com tests hub also includes related mood screenings; they cannot determine the cause of an episode.
Common triggers for manic and hypomanic episodes
Elevated episodes rarely appear out of nowhere. Sleep deprivation and a disrupted sleep-wake schedule are among the most consistent triggers, which is part of why clinicians ask about sleep so closely. Other contributors reported in clinical practice include the postpartum period, certain medications such as corticosteroids or antidepressants started without a mood stabilizer, stimulant or heavy alcohol use, and major shifts in daylight or routine.
None of these guarantee an episode on their own, and noticing a trigger without symptoms is not a screening result. But recognizing your own pattern of triggers, alongside your MDQ answers above, gives a clinician something concrete to work with rather than a vague sense that something has been off.
If symptoms appeared after starting or changing a medication, contact the prescriber promptly and describe the timing. NIMH notes that medications and other substances can mimic or worsen mood symptoms. Do not stop prescribed medication on the basis of a screening score; the clinician can assess the change and advise on next steps.
Signs it is time to talk to a professional now, not later
Some signs mean the conversation should not wait for a routine appointment: a mood state that includes hearing or seeing things others do not, spending or decisions already causing serious financial or legal harm, or any thoughts of suicide or self-harm. If you are in the US, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline any time, day or night, whether the crisis follows a high, a crash, or both.
Outside a crisis, a prompt appointment with a primary care doctor or psychiatrist is reasonable for anyone who meets the full three-part screen above. You do not need to wait for symptoms to worsen before asking for help. The Psychology.com therapist directory can help you find a licensed clinician who works with mood disorders if you do not already have one.
If there is immediate danger, severe confusion, or an inability to stay safe, seek emergency medical care. Ask someone you trust to help arrange care and accompany you if possible. A lifetime questionnaire cannot assess immediate safety, and completing it should not delay help when behavior or judgment has changed sharply.
A low symptom count should not delay care for a marked change in behavior. If a trusted person is worried, ask for concrete examples and, with your agreement, invite them to share those observations at the appointment. Someone who remembers your usual routines may help explain changes that felt ordinary to you at the time. Bring your current medication list and your full screening result, including the timing and impact answers.
Can manic symptoms happen alongside depression?
Yes. NIMH describes mood episodes with mixed features, where manic and depressive symptoms occur together. Someone may feel unusually energized or agitated while also feeling sad or hopeless. Feeling distressed does not rule out an elevated mood episode, and a clinician needs to hear about both sets of symptoms rather than only the high energy or only the low mood.
The MDQ focuses on lifetime elevated-mood experiences, so it does not fully assess mixed features or current depression. Describe the symptoms occurring together, including changes in sleep, speech, activity, and safety. If hopelessness comes with thoughts of self-harm, use the urgent support described above regardless of your screening result.
Methodology & sources
This test presents the full Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), developed and validated by Hirschfeld and colleagues (2000) as a screen for bipolar spectrum symptoms: 13 yes-or-no questions about lifetime manic and hypomanic experiences, a question about whether several of those experiences happened during the same period of time, and a question about how much of a problem they caused. Wording stays faithful to the validated instrument while reading clearly. The validated screening rule has three parts, and all three must be met for a positive screen: a symptom count of 7 or more, symptoms clustering in the same period, and a moderate or serious impact on life. Your headline result is banded on the symptom count, and your clustering and impact answers are shown alongside it so you can read the full rule against your own answers.
In the original psychiatric outpatient validation the MDQ identified about 73 percent of people with a bipolar spectrum disorder while correctly screening out about 90 percent of those without one; in the 2003 general-population study sensitivity was much lower, so a negative screen means less outside clinical settings and a positive one still deserves follow-up. This test is provided for education and self-reflection, not diagnosis. A positive screen means a professional evaluation is worthwhile, not that you have a bipolar spectrum condition, and a negative screen does not rule one out. Evaluating mania, hypomania, or bipolar disorder belongs with a licensed clinician, usually a psychiatrist, who will also ask about depressive episodes and rule out other causes.
The published sensitivity and specificity figures describe performance in study populations, not the probability that your personal result is correct. The MDQ also cannot distinguish mania from hypomania or establish a bipolar subtype by itself. Clinical assessment considers symptom duration, severity, depressive history, and possible medical or substance-related explanations. The symptom-count bands and grouped breakdown shown here explain your answers; they are not validated severity grades for a current manic episode.
The original validation study and the general-population study recruited different groups, which matters when interpreting screening accuracy. Neither establishes that a symptom-count band measures how urgent your current situation is. Because this is a lifetime questionnaire, an old episode can contribute to the result during a period when you feel stable. Current safety concerns need a separate clinical assessment.
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. doi.org/10.1176/ajp.157.11.1873
- 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. doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.178
- Hirschfeld RM, et al. Original MDQ development and validation study, PubMed record. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11058490/
- Hirschfeld RM, et al. General population MDQ validation study, PubMed record. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12505821/
- National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar Disorder. nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). Mania & Hypomania Test (MDQ). Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tests/mania
Mania & Hypomania Test (MDQ) FAQ
What is the Mood Disorder Questionnaire?
The MDQ is the most widely used screen for manic and hypomanic symptoms. It asks 13 yes-or-no questions about lifetime experiences, whether several of them happened during the same period, and how much of a problem they caused. It was developed for screening, it is not a diagnosis, and this test presents the full instrument rather than a shortened version.
What counts as a positive MDQ screen?
All three parts of the validated rule must be met: at least 7 of the 13 symptoms, several of them occurring during the same period of time, and a moderate or serious impact on your life, such as trouble with work, family, money, or the law. Seven symptoms alone is not a positive screen, and neither is a serious impact without the symptom count. Meeting all three means a professional evaluation is clearly worthwhile.
How is this different from the bipolar test?
They share the same validated instrument, the MDQ. This test frames your result around recognizing manic and hypomanic episodes themselves: what they look like, why they get missed, and what the three-part rule means for your answers. The bipolar test frames the same screen around the bipolar spectrum as a whole, including the depressive side a clinician will ask about. Either way, an evaluation looks at both poles.
What is the difference between mania and hypomania?
Both involve elevated or irritable mood, extra energy, less need for sleep, and faster thoughts or speech. Mania causes marked impairment and may involve psychosis or require hospitalization; it generally lasts at least a week, or less if hospital care is necessary. Hypomania is less severe and does not cause marked impairment or psychosis. A clinician assesses duration and depressive history as well as severity to distinguish episodes and determine whether a bipolar diagnosis applies.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is for education and self-reflection only. Mania, hypomania, and bipolar disorder can only be diagnosed by a licensed clinician through a careful interview covering your full history, including depressive periods. A positive screen here is a reason to seek that assessment, not a conclusion, and a negative screen does not rule anything out.
If I feel great, why would I get checked?
Because elevated episodes tend to look better from the inside than from the outside, and because what follows them often is not great. Reduced sleep, fast decisions, spending, and risk-taking can do real damage before the episode ends, and many people crash into depression afterward. If the people around you say you are not your usual self, that outside view is worth taking seriously even when you feel wonderful.
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