K10: free Kessler Psychological Distress Scale template

Written by Coflow | Nov 4, 2026, 5:24:38 AM

Free template

Digital K10 questionnaire (clinical cut-offs)

Send the K10 questionnaire digitally to your patients. With Coflow, they answer on their phone or computer before their appointment, with no app and no login.

The total is scored the moment they submit and banded to the CRUfAD clinical cut-offs. The score is waiting for you on the task, and responses write back to your practice management system.

Send it digitally See template

Scores

Psychological distress

Low10–19

Moderate20–24

High25–29

Very high30–50

K10 — clinical cut-offs (CRUfAD)

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?*

Nothing selected

None of the time

A little of the time

Some of the time

Most of the time

All of the time

Sent by SMS or email
Completed
Scored
Filed to your PMS

Scores itself No hand tallying

Stored in Australia

No patient app or login

Scored automatically

Writes back to your PMS

Try the digital K10

Coflow forms are flexible and mobile responsive. Patients fill it in on any phone or computer, with no app and no login. Scored forms are scored automatically when the patient submits.

k10-clinical.pdfPage 1 of 2

K10

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, clinical cut-offs (CRUfAD/beyondblue)

NameDate

For each question, choose the answer that best describes how often you had that feeling.

1None of the time2A little of the time3Some of the time4Most of the time5All of the time

In the past 4 weeks		1	2	3	4	5
1	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?	1	2	3	4	5
2	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel nervous?	1	2	3	4	5
3	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?	1	2	3	4	5
4	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel hopeless?	1	2	3	4	5
5	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel restless or fidgety?	1	2	3	4	5
6	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so restless you could not sit still?	1	2	3	4	5
7	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel depressed?	1	2	3	4	5
8	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel that everything was an effort?	1	2	3	4	5
9	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?	1	2	3	4	5
10	In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel worthless?	1	2	3	4	5

Kessler, R.C. & Mroczek, D. (1994). Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Cut-offs: Andrews & Slade (2001).Page 1 of 2

Scoring the K10

For the practitioner. Detach before handing the questionnaire to a patient.

How to score it

Each answer scores the number circled, from 1 (“none of the time”) to 5 (“all of the time”). No item is reverse scored.
Add up all 10 answers. The total runs from 10–50: there are no subscales and no multiplier.
Find the total’s band in the table further down. If any question is unanswered, don’t score the form.

Score

Scale	Items	Total	Band
Psychological distress	1–10

Bands: clinical cut-offs (CRUfAD)

Psychological distress	Total
Low	10–19
Moderate	20–24
High	25–29
Very high	30–50

These are the clinical cut-offs printed on the CRUfAD/beyondblue K10 form and validated by Andrews and Slade (2001). Population surveys such as the ABS National Health Survey group the same total at different cut-offs, so check which convention a score is being compared with.

The K10 measures non-specific psychological distress over the past four weeks. It is not a diagnostic tool: read the score alongside your own clinical assessment.

Kessler, R.C. & Mroczek, D. (1994). Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Cut-offs: Andrews & Slade (2001).Page 2 of 2

9:41

K10 — clinical cut-offs (CRUfAD)

Preview only. Nothing you choose is saved or sent.

K10

For each question, choose the answer that best describes how often you had that feeling.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel tired out for no good reason?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel nervous?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so nervous that nothing could calm you down?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel hopeless?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel restless or fidgety?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so restless you could not sit still?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel depressed?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel that everything was an effort?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel so sad that nothing could cheer you up?*

This field is required.

In the past 4 weeks, about how often did you feel worthless?*

This field is required.

Form completed

Patients never see a score. When a patient submits it for real, Coflow adds up the total and shows you the score and its band on the task, using these clinical cut-offs.

ScoresWhat your practice sees

Psychological distress10 items, total 10–50

10–19Low
20–24Moderate
25–29High
30–50Very high

Send it digitally

Send the K10 digitally

Patients answer on their phone or computer before they arrive, with no app or login. Coflow sends a reminder if they don’t finish, scores it the moment they submit, and files it into your PMS.

Scored automatically
Automatic reminders
Writes back to your PMS

Book a demo

We’ll show you the K10 in Coflow and set it up with you.

PDF

Start with the free PDF

We’ll email you the printable K10 and its scoring guide, plus a few ideas for moving your questionnaires online when you’re ready.

Download the free PDF

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