What is the MDQ?

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) is a brief, self-administered screening tool developed by Robert M. A. Hirschfeld and colleagues in 2000 to identify symptoms associated with bipolar spectrum disorders. These disorders are characterized by alternating mood states—such as mania, hypomania, and depression—and are frequently misdiagnosed due to the prominence of depressive symptoms alone. The MDQ helps clinicians screen for potential bipolar presentations and determine whether a full diagnostic evaluation or referral to a mental health specialist is appropriate.

The MDQ is designed for adults and typically takes about five minutes to complete, making it well-suited for both clinical and research settings.

What It Measures

The MDQ consists of 13 yes/no questions assessing lifetime history of manic or hypomanic symptoms—examples include “thoughts raced through your head” or “you were much more active than usual.” Two additional questions assess whether symptoms occurred during the same time period and whether they caused significant problems in day-to-day life.

Scoring and Interpretation

A total score is calculated based on the 13 primary items, with a standard cutoff score of 7 indicating elevated risk for a bipolar spectrum disorder. To be considered a positive screen in Creyos Health, the patient must:

• Score 7 or more on the main symptom items

• Indicate that multiple symptoms occurred at the same time

• Report at least “moderate” impairment from those symptoms

These criteria are based on validation studies showing strong sensitivity and specificity (Hirschfeld et al., 2000; Wang et al., 2019), and are designed to guide next steps in clinical decision-making. A positive screen should be followed by a comprehensive clinical interview with a qualified professional.

How It Relates to Cognition

Bipolar spectrum disorders can impact cognitive functioning across a variety of domains, including attention, executive function, memory, and emotional regulation. These impairments may vary by mood state, with manic and depressive episodes each contributing differently to cognitive challenges. By combining the MDQ with Creyos Health’s cognitive assessments, clinicians can better evaluate how symptoms of mood instability may be affecting day-to-day functioning, treatment adherence, or patient safety.

Psychometric Properties

The MDQ has demonstrated good reliability and validity in multiple studies and is widely accepted as a screening instrument for bipolar disorder. Sensitivity across studies is generally around 80%, though specificity can vary depending on population and comorbidities (Wang et al., 2019).

Clinical Considerations

Although the MDQ is an effective tool for identifying individuals who may benefit from further evaluation, it is not diagnostic. False positives can occur, especially in populations with complex psychiatric histories. Clinical judgment is essential when interpreting results, and positive screens should always be followed by a structured diagnostic interview (Carvalho et al., 2015).

The MDQ can be added to any Creyos Health protocol, making it easy to include alongside other mood screeners, such as the PHQ-9, and cognitive tasks that measure related domains. 

To explore all behavioral and cognitive health tools available in the Creyos platform, refer to the Creyos Standardized Questionnaires Guide.