This Simple Tool Can Help You Hit Your Mental Health Goals

Curious about those Check-In reminders that pop up when you log into the AbleTo app? Wonder why your therapist asks you to rate how you’ve been feeling every few weeks?

These requests may feel repetitive, but they’re important. Each one directs you to a standardized questionnaire designed to help you (and your provider, if you’re working with one) take stock of your mental health. Depending on what AbleTo program you’re enrolled in, you may see them called an “Assessment,” a “Check-In” or “Measuring Progress” activity.

Think about it this way: Let’s say you’re learning a new skill. It could be playing piano or speaking a second language. How would you know if you’re improving? Typically, you’d complete some sort of evaluation. Then you compare those results against your baseline performance to measure your progress.

Mental health questionnaires are similar. After all, working on your mental wellness involves practicing new skills, too.

Research¹ shows they can help you or your therapist see if your mood is improving. Or not getting better when it should be. There’s even some evidence² that taking regularly completing mental health questionnaires while in therapy can produce better outcomes, such as fewer mood symptoms and an enhanced quality of life.

Just like other “tests,” these questionnaires are nothing to feel nervous or embarrassed about. They’re just a snapshot of how you’re doing at a point in time. But they can be powerful information to have.

AbleTo questionnaires: An overview

Mood questionnaires are widely used throughout the healthcare system. There are dozens³ to choose from.

AbleTo primarily offers the following questionnaires to help you monitor your progress.

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

Used in: Self care, coaching, some therapy programs

What it does: Measures signs of of depression, including suicide risk by scoring each of 9 items associated with criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V). The American Psychiatric Association uses the DSM-V to classify and diagnose mental health disorders.

How it’s scored: Each response is assigned a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3:

• 0: “Not at all”
• 1: “Several days”
• 2: “More than half the days”
• 3: “Nearly every day”

The numbers from all 9 responses are added up to get the total score. It can range from 0 to 27 and indicates the severity of depression.

• 0–4: Minimal depression
• 5–9: Mild depression
• 10–14: Moderate depression
• 15–19: Moderately severe depression
• 20–27: Severe depression

How often you’ll take it: Biweekly in the self-care app; weekly in coaching; at least every 4 weeks in therapy (or more often, if needed)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7)

Used in: Self care, coaching, some therapy programs

What it does: Measures signs of of anxiety by scoring each of 7 items associated with criteria listed in the DSM-V

How it’s scored: Each response is assigned a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3:

• 0: “Not at all”
• 1: “Several days”
• 2: “More than half the days”
• 3: “Nearly every day”

The numbers from all 7 responses are added up to get the total score. It can range from 0 to 21 and indicates the severity of anxiety.

• 0–4: Minimal anxiety
• 5–9: Mild anxiety
• 10–14: Moderate anxiety
• 15–21: Severe anxiety

How often you’ll take it: Biweekly in the self-care app; weekly in coaching; at least every 4 weeks in therapy (or more often, if needed)

World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index (WHO-5)

Used in: Self care

What it does: Measures quality of life based on 5 statements related to mood, interest in activities, and general energy levels

How it’s scored: Each response is assigned a score of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5:

• 0: “At no time”
• 1: “Some of the time”
• 2: “Less than half the time”
• 3: “More than half the time”
• 4: “Most of the time”
• 5: “All of the time”

Responses are added together to get a raw score. It can range from 0-25. That raw scores is then multiplied by 4 to get percentages out of 100. Higher scores indicate higher well-being.

How often you’ll take it: Biweekly (alternating weeks with the PHQ-9 and GAD-7)

The role of specialized questionnaires

You’re most likely to see the questionnaires above during your AbleTo experience. But you may come across some others, too.

Some people in AbleTo therapy programs will take the Depression Anxiety And Stress Scale (DASS-21) instead of the PHQ-9/GAD-7. This single questionnaire is scored based on your responses to 21 items exploring signs of depression, anxiety, and stress.

If you’re working with a provider on a specific issue, such as social anxiety, grief, or postpartum depression, you’ll also take questionnaires tailored to those concerns.

Depending on what challenges you’re facing, AbleTo therapists may also use additional questionnaires to gauge your risk of substance use disorder or other issues, such as elder abuse. They’ll also dig into how all of these issues affect your quality of life.

How AbleTo uses questionnaire scores

At AbleTo mental health questionnaires are used to guide your care.

The first questionnaire you complete during your AbleTo onboarding helps us recommend the most appropriate services to meet your needs.

Your therapist may use follow-up questionnaires to evaluate your progress and adjust their treatment plan,⁴ if needed.

You and your therapist or coach may also discuss your scores to see if you’re on track toward achieving your goals.

Even if you don’t discuss your questionnaires during your sessions, there’s value in understanding how they work. One study⁵ found you might get even more out of therapy — like better awareness of your mood — when you understand the purpose of the questionnaire. Plus, that understanding may make the results more valid.

People who aren’t in therapy or coaching programs can also benefit from taking these questionnaires. In our self-care app, these “Check-Ins” can help you keep an eye on your mood trends over time, so you can adjust your self-care practices, as needed. You can find this information in the Current Check-In Scores section of the app’s Me tab.

Every time you complete a Check-In, the app will suggest content and activities based on your scores.

Pay special attention to any major negative changes in your mood. It may be a sign that you could benefit from working with a coach or therapist.

Stay on track with questionnaire

Regularly taking questionnaires is an easy way to keep tabs on your mental wellness. So the next time you see a prompt asking you to take one, don’t select Skip. Take a few minutes to check in with yourself. Your mental well-being will thank you.

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Sources

1. Fortney JC, Unützer J, Wrenn G, et al. A tipping point for measurement-based care. Psychiatric Services. 2017;68(2):179-188 doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500439.

2. Scott K, Lewis CC. Using Measurement-Based Care to Enhance Any Treatment. Cogn Behav Pract. 2015;22(1):49-59. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2014.01.010

3. DSM-5-TR Online Assessment Measures. Psychiatry.org – DSM-5-TR Online Assessment Measures. (n.d.). https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm/educational-resources/assessment-measures#:~:text=The%20Early%20Development%20and%20Home,individuals%20who%20perform%20caregiving%20functions

4. Lutz, W., Schwartz, B., & Delgadillo, J. (2022). Measurement-based and data-informed psychological therapy. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 18(1), 71–98. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-071720-014821

5. Börjesson S, Boström PK. “I want to know what it is used for”: Clients’ perspectives on completing a routine outcome measure (ROM) while undergoing psychotherapy. Psychother Res. 2020;30(3):337-347. doi:10.1080/10503307.2019.1630780