Overall total
Thirty-five items scored 0–2 give a 0–70 total. For the English PSC-Y, Mass General lists 30 or higher as the recommended follow-up cutoff.
Youth self-report clinical screener
Youth Mental Health Screen (PSC-Y)
For ages 11–17 completing the questionnaire for themselves. Check broad emotional, attention, school, social, and behavior concerns with the 35-item PSC-Y. Your complete basic result is free.
What this doesFocused self-checkTimeAbout 5–7 minutesPrivacyNo signupResultFree full result
Free full result35 scored itemsAbout 5–7 minutesAges 11–17No signup
Self-report · no name or email requested · full basic result free
Useful before signupSee the complete basic result first.
Established scoringNever = 0 · Sometimes = 1 · Often = 2 · total 0–70
Privacy firstNo name, school, email, or free-text story is requested.
Instrument registrySee source, scoring and limitations →What you will do
Rate 35 things that can affect day-to-day wellbeing.
After one non-scored age/eligibility check, choose Never, Sometimes, or Often based on what best describes you.
- Overall score: 0–70; 30+ is the recommended English PSC-Y follow-up cutoff.
- Attention: 7+; internalizing: 5+; externalizing: 7+ are commonly used subscale thresholds.
- A positive screen means “talk with someone and look more closely,” not “you have a disorder.”
- If you feel unsafe, are thinking about hurting yourself, or cannot stay safe, tell a trusted adult now and use urgent local support.
What the PSC-Y measures
One broad youth screen plus three practical areas.
The PSC-Y is the youth self-report version of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. It is designed to flag psychosocial concerns that may deserve follow-up, not to diagnose a specific condition.
Internalizing
Five items cover sadness, hopelessness, self-view, worry, and reduced enjoyment. Common follow-up threshold: 5+.
Attention
Five items cover restlessness, daydreaming, distractibility, concentration, and high activity. Common follow-up threshold: 7+.
Externalizing
Seven items cover conflict, rules, empathy, teasing, blame, taking things, and sharing. Common follow-up threshold: 7+.
Not a diagnosis
The screen cannot tell you whether you have ADHD, depression, anxiety, a behavior disorder, or another condition.
Your perspective matters
This version is completed by the young person. A parent/caregiver or teacher may notice different things; those perspectives can add context without replacing yours.
Scoring
How the free result is calculated
Each scored item is rated Never (0), Sometimes (1), or Often (2). The 35 item scores are summed for the overall total, and the three subscales are summed separately.
The overall score, all three subscale scores, thresholds, safety guidance, limitations, and next steps are free.
What a trusted adult or professional adds
A score cannot explain why something feels hard.
A parent, caregiver, school counselor, pediatrician, or youth mental-health professional can help put the result in context and think about what support may actually help.
What this screen can and cannot tell you
A positive result means “look more closely,” not “something is wrong with you.”
Screening can miss real problems and can also flag concerns that have other explanations. One difficult area can still matter even when the overall score is below cutoff.
Youth-safeguarding and rights gate
This screening implementation should not be treated as a validated clinical or diagnostic tool unless an independent qualified reviewer verifies the exact PSC-Y version, scoring, age positioning, current online/commercial reproduction terms, youth privacy, safeguarding copy, and U.S.-first care guidance.
Sources and instrument governance
Why we use the PSC-Y carefully.
- Massachusetts General Hospital — PSC forms, scoring and interpretation
- Massachusetts General Hospital — PSC-Y English youth self-report form
Mass General provides the PSC-Y form, scoring information, and links to free online versions. Because DesperateMinds is a commercial platform, final production launch still requires confirmation that our intended online use is permitted under the current rights terms.
Frequently asked questions
Before you use a youth mental-health screen
Does a positive PSC-Y result mean I have a mental-health disorder?
No. It is a broad screen. A positive result means a fuller conversation may be useful.
What if only one subscale is high?
That can still matter. A particular area can deserve attention even when the overall total is below 30.
Should I keep the result secret?
If you are worried about your mental health, consider sharing the result with a trusted adult or qualified professional. If you feel unsafe or are thinking about hurting yourself, tell a trusted adult immediately and use urgent local support.
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If you feel unsafe
This questionnaire is not a suicide-risk assessment. If you may hurt yourself or someone else, cannot stay safe, or are in immediate danger, tell a trusted adult now and use local emergency or crisis support rather than relying on an online screen.
How to share a youth mental-health screen result
If you are a young person, choose a trusted adult who can listen and help you decide what comes next. You can start with one concrete statement such as “I have been feeling this way for several weeks and it is affecting school/sleep/friends.” You do not need to explain everything at once.
If you feel unsafe, are thinking about self-harm or cannot manage basic daily activities, tell a trusted adult or use urgent support immediately. A questionnaire should never delay safety help.