Name a commonly used self-report measure to assess aspects of mental wellbeing (not a diagnosis).

• A. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10).
• B. Beck Depression Inventory.
• C. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale.
• D. MMPI-2.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is using a quick self-report tool that measures general psychological distress rather than diagnosing a specific disorder. The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) fits this, because it’s a brief 10-item questionnaire that people fill out themselves, asking about anxiety and depressive symptoms over the past few weeks. The resulting score gives a sense of overall mental wellbeing or distress and is typically used for screening or monitoring in the general population, not for making a diagnosis.

In contrast, the Beck Depression Inventory targets depressive symptoms specifically and is used to help diagnose and gauge severity of depression. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale is usually administered by a clinician to rate how severe someone’s anxiety is. The MMPI-2 is a comprehensive, long assessment used for broader clinical and personality assessment, not a simple wellbeing screen. So the best choice for a commonly used self-report measure of mental wellbeing (not for diagnosing) is the Kessler Distress Scale.