MFQ Scoring · Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Child & Adolescent)
The MFQ (Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) is a 33-item self- and parent-report questionnaire that measures depressive symptoms in children and adolescents over the past two weeks. Its 13-item short form (SMFQ, 0–26) is drawn from the same items and is the version most used for screening; the long form scores 0–66.
For professional reference, research, and education only. Not for diagnosis or medical advice.
SMFQ Score Interpreter (13-item, 0–26)
Enter a total score to see its range.
Cut-points vary by population. ≥8 is the original screening threshold (Angold); validation studies support ≥12 for higher specificity (Thabrew). A positive screen warrants full evaluation — it is not a diagnosis.
SMFQ total Interpretation 12+ Above clinical cut-off (≥12)At or above the higher-specificity cut-off; supports referral for full evaluation. 8–11 Elevated (≥8)At or above the original screening threshold; review and consider follow-up. 0–7 Below screening thresholdDepressive symptoms not elevated on the SMFQ. Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Angold & Costello, 1995; Thabrew et al., 2018). Screening reference only.
The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) is a widely used measure of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents, available as a 33-item long form and a 13-item short form (SMFQ).
About the MFQ
The MFQ was developed by Adrian Angold and Jane Costello to measure depressive symptoms in young people aged roughly 6 to 19; the development of the short form was published in 1995 [1].
Its items map onto the cognitive, affective, and behavioural features of depression described in diagnostic criteria, phrased in plain language a child or adolescent can answer about the past two weeks.
Both a self-report (young person) and a parent-report version exist, which lets clinicians compare perspectives: children and caregivers often report symptoms differently. For the condition itself, see major depression.
The 13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) is drawn from the same item set and is the form most often used for routine screening and for tracking symptom change session to session in measurement-based care.
What does the MFQ measure?
The MFQ assesses the core features of depression in youth — low mood, anhedonia, self-deprecation, fatigue, concentration difficulty, and related symptoms — over the past two weeks. It is a severity and screening measure, not a structured diagnostic interview.
How do you give the MFQ?
The SMFQ takes 1–2 minutes and the full MFQ about 5 minutes. Where possible, collect both the young person's self-report and a parent-report, and interpret divergence rather than averaging it. Non-clinical staff can administer the form, but a licensed clinician interprets it alongside history and functional impact.
How do you score and interpret the MFQ?
How to score the MFQ
Each item is rated 0 (Not True), 1 (Sometimes True), or 2 (True) for the past two weeks, and item scores are summed:
- Long MFQ (33 items): total 0–66.
- SMFQ (13 items): total 0–26.
Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptom severity. Use the interpreter above to place an SMFQ total against the common screening cut-points.
MFQ and SMFQ cut-points
| Form | Range | Screening cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| SMFQ (13-item) | 0–26 | ≥8 (original) / ≥12 (higher specificity) |
| MFQ (33-item) | 0–66 | ≥28 (help-seeking adolescents) |
Cut-points vary by setting and population, so they should be applied with clinical judgement. A score above the cut-off is a positive screen that supports referral for a full evaluation — it is not a diagnosis.
Psychometric properties
- Help-seeking adolescents. Both the MFQ and SMFQ showed good-to-excellent internal consistency and strong correlations with the clinician-rated Children's Depression Rating Scale–Revised, supporting their reliability and concurrent validity, and both were sensitive to symptom change [2].
- Community children. In children aged 7 to 11, the SMFQ measured a single dimension of depressive severity, and its items discriminated best at the more severe end [3].
In 183 help-seeking adolescents in New Zealand, both forms also correlated strongly with the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale 2. Favouring sensitivity over specificity, the optimal cut-off for differentiating depressed from non-depressed cases was ≥28 on the MFQ and ≥12 on the SMFQ [2].
Limitations
- Screening, not diagnosis. A positive MFQ or SMFQ indicates symptoms consistent with depression and warrants full evaluation.
- Population-dependent cut-offs. Optimal thresholds differ across community, help-seeking, and clinical samples.
- Informant differences. Self-report and parent-report can diverge, especially in younger children.
For adults, screen depression with the PHQ-9; for co-occurring anxiety in youth, consider pairing with an age-appropriate anxiety measure.
For individuals: This page is a clinical reference, not a diagnostic tool. If you have concerns about your own symptoms, bring this information to a qualified mental health professional.
Related
Billing
In the US, the MFQ Scoring · Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Child & Adolescent) is usually billed under these CPT codes. Payer rules vary.
Used inCBTAssessments
- BDI-II Scoring Guide · Beck Depression Inventory
- CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
- CES-DC Scoring · Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children
- Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) Scoring & Interpretation
- GAD-7 Scoring and Interpretation
- HAM-A: Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
Dot size shows how strongly each scale's condition is linked to this one in HiBoop's co-occurrence map.
FAQ
What is the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ)?
The MFQ is a self-report and parent-report measure of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents, developed by Adrian Angold and Elizabeth Jane Costello. It comes in a 33-item long form and a 13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), with separate child (self-report) and parent versions, and can be downloaded free of charge from Duke's Developmental Epidemiology program, which asks only that the authors be cited in published work.
What is the difference between the MFQ and the SMFQ?
The MFQ is the full 33-item Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (score 0–66); the SMFQ is the 13-item Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (score 0–26), drawn from the same item set. The 13 SMFQ items are all included in the long MFQ. The SMFQ is favoured in routine screening because it is brief and sensitive to symptom change, while the full MFQ gives a more detailed symptom profile.
How is the MFQ scored?
Each item is rated 0 (Not True), 1 (Sometimes True), or 2 (True) for how the young person has felt or acted over the past two weeks. Item scores are summed: the long MFQ ranges 0–66 and the SMFQ ranges 0–26. Higher scores indicate greater depressive symptom severity.
What is the cut-off score for the MFQ and SMFQ?
Cut-offs vary by population. For the SMFQ, ≥8 is the original screening threshold (Angold); validation studies have supported ≥12 for higher specificity (Thabrew et al., 2018). For the long MFQ, ≥28 was optimal in one study of help-seeking adolescents. A score above the cut-off is a positive screen that warrants a full clinical evaluation, not a diagnosis.
References
- 1.Angold A, Costello EJ, Messer SC, et al. Development of a short questionnaire for use in epidemiological studies of depression in children and adolescents. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 1995;5:237-249.
- 2.Thabrew H, Stasiak K, Bavin LM, Frampton C, Merry S. Validation of the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) in New Zealand help-seeking adolescents. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2018;27(3):e1610.
- 3.Sharp C, Goodyer IM, Croudace TJ. The Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ): a unidimensional item response theory and categorical data factor analysis of self-report ratings from a community sample of 7- through 11-year-old children. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2006;34(3):379-391.
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