You took a DASS-21 and got three different numbers. Unlike most mental health assessments that give you a single score, this one measures depression, anxiety, and stress separately. That's useful—but it also means you have three results to make sense of.
The quick answer
The DASS-21 gives you three subscale scores. Here's what each range means:
Depression scores
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0-9 | Normal |
| 10-13 | Mild |
| 14-20 | Moderate |
| 21-27 | Severe |
| 28+ | Extremely severe |
Anxiety scores
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0-7 | Normal |
| 8-9 | Mild |
| 10-14 | Moderate |
| 15-19 | Severe |
| 20+ | Extremely severe |
Stress scores
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0-14 | Normal |
| 15-18 | Mild |
| 19-25 | Moderate |
| 26-33 | Severe |
| 34+ | Extremely severe |
Important: These scores should be doubled from your raw score. If you answered 7 questions and your raw depression total was 8, your final depression score is 16 (moderate range).
What each subscale measures
The three scales capture different aspects of emotional distress:
Depression — Not just sadness. The DASS-21 depression scale focuses on:
- Lack of positive feelings and pleasure (anhedonia)
- Feeling like you have nothing to look forward to
- Difficulty getting motivated
- Feeling worthless or down on yourself
- Feeling life is meaningless
Anxiety — Emphasizes physical symptoms more than worry:
- Racing heart without physical cause
- Dry mouth, trembling, breathing difficulties
- Feeling close to panic
- Feeling scared without reason
- Fear of embarrassing yourself
Stress — Chronic tension and overreactivity:
- Difficulty relaxing or winding down
- Nervous energy and agitation
- Being easily irritated or touchy
- Overreacting to situations
- Impatience
This is why you can score high on one scale and normal on others. Someone might have significant depression (low motivation, no pleasure in things) without much anxiety (no panic symptoms, no physical arousal). Or high stress (irritable, can't relax) without depression (still enjoys things, has motivation).
Understanding your profile
Your three scores together tell a story. Common patterns:
All three elevated: General emotional distress. This is common during major life stress, burnout, or when mental health issues have been building for a while. The combination often benefits from comprehensive support.
Depression only: You might feel flat, unmotivated, and unable to enjoy things—but without the physical anxiety symptoms or irritability. This pattern often responds well to behavioral activation (getting active even when you don't feel like it) and addressing negative thought patterns.
Anxiety only: Physical symptoms and fear without the hopelessness or low motivation of depression. Anxiety-focused treatments like exposure therapy, breathing exercises, and anxiety management techniques tend to help.
Stress only: Wound up, irritable, and overreactive—but still able to feel pleasure and without the panic symptoms of anxiety. Stress management, relaxation training, and problem-solving often help.
Depression + Anxiety: Very common combination. The two conditions frequently occur together. Treatment typically addresses both.
Stress without depression/anxiety: Often situational—a difficult job, relationship problems, or life circumstances. May improve with life changes or stress management rather than clinical treatment.
What "mild" actually means
Here's something the labels don't make clear: "mild" on the DASS-21 means you're above the population average, not that you have a mild disorder.
The average person scores around 6 on depression, 4 on anxiety, and 9 on stress. If you scored 12 on depression (mild range), you're experiencing more depressive symptoms than most people—but you're probably still below the severity of someone who would typically seek mental health treatment.
Think of it as a signal to pay attention, not necessarily a signal that something is wrong.
What to do based on your scores
Normal range (all three subscales)
Your emotional distress is within typical limits. If you took this because something felt off, the issue might be:
- Situational and temporary
- Better captured by a different assessment
- Present but not severe enough to register on this measure
No action needed unless symptoms persist or worsen.
Mild range (one or more subscales)
You're experiencing some symptoms worth monitoring. Consider:
- Tracking whether this is temporary (related to current stressors) or persistent
- Self-help strategies: exercise, sleep, social connection, stress reduction
- Mental health apps or workbooks focused on your elevated scale(s)
- Retaking the assessment in 2-4 weeks to see the trend
Moderate range (one or more subscales)
This level usually warrants professional input. Consider:
- Scheduling an appointment with your doctor or a mental health professional
- Discussing whether therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes make sense
- Identifying which subscale is most elevated to guide treatment focus
Severe or extremely severe (any subscale)
Professional support is strongly recommended. Steps to take:
- Contact a mental health provider soon
- Talk to your primary care doctor as a starting point
- If you're having thoughts of self-harm, contact a crisis line or seek immediate help
How to track over time
The DASS-21 covers the past week, so it's useful for monitoring how you're doing. If you're in treatment:
- Take it weekly or every other week
- Look for trends rather than fixating on single scores
- A change of 4-6 points on any subscale usually indicates real change (not just measurement noise)
- Share results with your provider—the subscale breakdown helps them understand what's improving and what isn't
What the DASS-21 doesn't tell you
It's not a diagnosis. High scores suggest symptoms worth evaluating, but they don't tell you whether you have clinical depression, an anxiety disorder, or another condition. Diagnosis requires a clinical evaluation.
It doesn't capture everything. The anxiety scale focuses on physical symptoms and panic—if your anxiety is mainly worry-based (like in generalized anxiety disorder), you might score lower than expected. The stress scale measures tension and irritability, not life stress or stressors.
It's a one-week snapshot. If last week was unusually hard (or unusually good), your scores reflect that. Repeated assessments give a better picture than a single score.
No suicidal ideation screening. Unlike the PHQ-9, the DASS-21 doesn't directly ask about thoughts of self-harm. If you're experiencing those thoughts, please reach out for help regardless of your scores.
Common questions
Why do I have to double the scores?
The DASS-21 is a shortened version of the original 42-item DASS. Doubling makes your scores comparable to the longer version, which is what most research and clinical cutoffs are based on.
Can I have high stress but low anxiety?
Yes, and it's a meaningful distinction. Stress on this scale measures chronic tension and irritability. Anxiety measures acute fear and physical arousal. You can be wound up and irritable without experiencing panic or physical anxiety symptoms.
My anxiety score is low but I feel anxious. Why?
The DASS-21 anxiety scale emphasizes physical symptoms (racing heart, trembling, breathing issues) and panic-like fear. If your anxiety is more cognitive—constant worry, rumination, difficulty making decisions—you might score lower than expected. Consider the GAD-7 for worry-focused anxiety.
Is this better than the PHQ-9 or GAD-7?
Different tools for different purposes. The DASS-21 gives you a broader picture (three domains) in one assessment. The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 are more focused and align better with clinical diagnostic criteria. Many clinicians use both.
What if my scores went up?
A single increase doesn't necessarily mean you're doing worse—scores fluctuate. If the trend over several weeks is upward, that's worth discussing with a provider. If you're in treatment and scores keep rising, that's important feedback about whether the current approach is working.
Related assessments
If you want more focused measurement:
- PHQ-9 — Depression-specific, aligns with diagnostic criteria. See what your PHQ-9 score means
- GAD-7 — Anxiety-focused, emphasizes worry more than physical symptoms. See what your GAD-7 score means
- PHQ-4 — Quick 4-question combined screen for depression and anxiety. See what your PHQ-4 score means
- PHQ-2 — Ultra-brief depression screen. See what your PHQ-2 score means
- GAD-2 — Ultra-brief anxiety screen. See what your GAD-2 score means
For tips on tracking your mental health over time, see our guide on how to track your mental health over time.
The bottom line
The DASS-21 measures three related but distinct aspects of emotional distress. Your three scores—depression, anxiety, and stress—each tell you something different about what you're experiencing. Normal scores suggest you're doing okay. Mild scores are worth monitoring. Moderate to severe scores are a signal to seek professional input. Track over time to see patterns, and remember that these numbers are meant to inform care, not define you.