Test Yourself for Bipolar Disorder with the Tri-Axial Bipolar Spectrum (TABS, Version 2011.1) Questionnaire.

Providing a replacement for the 90s-vintage Goldberg bipolar test, this 19-question test uniquely highlights all three components which figure in the diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorders, including depressive episodes and manic episodes (and mixed episodes), plus an additional set of factors which may preclude a diagnosis of bipolar disorder even when symptoms otherwise associated with bipolar are present.

Completing this Psychological Screening Test for Bipolar Disorder

To take the questionnaire, please click the radio button next to the selection which best reflects how each statement applies to you. The items refer to how you have felt and behaved over much of your life. (Please be sure to check the Additional Information and Note on Validity below.)

Take the Bipolar Quiz

Please note: This test will only be scored correctly if you answer each one of the questions. Please also check our disclaimer on psychological testing and our psychological testing privacy guarantee.

1. I feel so restless or find it so hard to keep still that other people have pointed this out to me. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 2. I feel fatigued or low on energy. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 3. I have been enjoying activities that I know carry a significant risk of causing me problems later (e.g., buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or unusual business investments). Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 4. I have trouble falling asleep, or I find that I sleep longer than I would like. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 5. My appetite seems to change frequently. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 6. I don’t need more than a few hours of sleep to feel rested. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 7. I feel very irritable sometimes; the smallest things can really upset me. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 8. I have been more talkative than usual; sometimes I feel like I just have to keep talking. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 9. I have gained or lost more than 5% of my body weight in a single month. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 10. My thoughts feel like they’re racing. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 11. I feel worthless or guilty. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 12. I find that I no longer enjoy some of the activities that I used to like. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 13. I find myself thinking about my own death. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 14. I am easily distracted by other things going on, even when I know they are unimportant. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 15. I find it hard to think or concentrate, or to make decisions. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 16. I feel especially confident, like nothing can stop me from reaching my goals. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 17. Some of the experiences listed above may have been due to my having used alcohol or drugs or taken prescription medications which I have been advised may alter my mood. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time 18. I have been diagnosed with a medical condition which sometimes affects my mood or energy levels (e.g., hypothyroidism). No

Yes 19. Some of the experiences listed above have caused me problems at work or in my social activities; led to arguments or fights; or left me with family, financial or legal difficulties. Rarely or none of the time

Occasionally or a little of the time

A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

Most or all of the time



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About Scoring this Bipolar Disorder Questionnaire

Scoring for Questions 1-16:

0 points Rarely or none of the time

1 point Occasionally or a little of the time

2 points A moderate amount of the time, more than occasionally

4 points Most or all of the time

This yields a total maximum score of 64.

Questions 17 and 19 are scored on the same scale but are used to adjudicate on whether a diagnosis of bipolar disorder should be excluded; they are not included in the final total.

Question 18 is scored as a binary choice and is again used to adjudicate on whether a diagnosis of bipolar disorder should be excluded.

When your quiz is scored, one of six different information pages will appear to describe the results for scores in your range, along with further details of how your score was computed.

This bipolar test distinguishes between experiences typically associated with mania and those typically associated with depression, as well as those which may be present in mixed episodes, and answers which indicate potentially significant experiences primarily along only one but not both of these axes will be flagged as such.

Provided that experiences along both axes are present, and there are no factors along the third axis that would indicate a diagnosis of bipolar disorder should not be considered, then generally speaking, the higher the score, the higher the correspondence between reported experiences and factors typically associated with bipolar disorder.

Constructed with a forced-choice semantic interval question design, bipolar screening with the Tri-axial Bipolar Spectrum (TABS) self-test is intended to avoid the pitfalls of central tendency bias as well as acquiescence bias, reflecting clinically relevant self-assessments of experiences that correlate directly with some (but not all) important DSM diagnostic criteria for the bipolar spectrum.

Additional Information and Note on Validity

The Tri-Axial Bipolar Spectrum (TABS) screening self-test was developed by Dr Greg Mulhauser. Intended to help you become aware of experiences which might be indicative of bipolar disorder in individuals 18 or older, the Tri-Axial Bipolar Spectrum (TABS) test differs from other bipolar screening instruments which you may find on the internet by checking explicitly for precluding factors. Therefore, your results on this test may differ radically from those offered by older online tests.

Like most mental health screening tests you will find on the internet, this test has not been evaluated for validity in terms of sensitivity and specificity via comparison with a Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM (SCID). Therefore, this instrument should not be relied upon in any way as a diagnostic aid but should be used solely as a tool for increasing your own awareness of experiences which might, under the careful evaluation of a psychiatrist, be considered indicative of bipolar disorder.

Dr Greg Mulhauser, an experienced counsellor and psychotherapist, takes a special interest in counselling and psychotherapy for bipolar disorder and cyclothymia. He has also developed: