The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) is a highly regarded tool used to assess and screen for symptoms of depression in children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years. Developed in 1987 by Adrian Angold and Elizabeth J. Costello, the MFQ is widely used in mental health screenings across clinical, educational, and research settings to identify early signs of emotional distress and depressive symptoms in young individuals. The MFQ is recognised for its effectiveness in capturing symptoms associated with depression, aiding professionals in making informed decisions about further evaluation or support.
The MFQ consists of statements that describe common thoughts, feelings, and behaviours associated with depression. These include statements about feeling sad, losing interest in activities, and experiencing changes in sleeping or eating patterns. Participants, or their parents and teachers in certain cases, are asked to indicate how accurately each statement describes the young person’s mood or behaviour over the previous two weeks. There are two versions of the MFQ available to accommodate different needs: the short MFQ with 13 questions and the long MFQ with 33 questions. The shorter version allows for a quicker assessment, while the longer version provides a more in-depth evaluation of depressive symptoms.
The MFQ is structured to support mental health professionals in recognising depressive symptoms at an early stage, facilitating timely interventions that can lead to better outcomes for young people. It is also commonly used in research studies to measure trends in adolescent mental health and explore factors that influence mood disorders in this age group. By focusing on youth mental health with an accessible, scientifically validated tool, the MFQ helps identify risk factors and is instrumental in promoting positive mental health practices among young individuals, families, and schools. This emphasis on early detection makes the MFQ an invaluable resource for supporting the mental and emotional well-being of young people.
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- Child Self-Report – Long Version
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