What the K10 is
The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, usually called the K10, asks 10 questions about how often you have felt things like nervous, hopeless, restless, worthless or so sad nothing could cheer you up in the past 30 days. Each answer is scored from 1 (none of the time) to 5 (all of the time), giving a total from 10 to 50. Higher scores mean more distress.
In Australia the K10 is widely used by GPs, including when preparing a mental health treatment plan, and in population health surveys. It takes only a few minutes.
What the DASS-21 is
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were developed at the University of New South Wales. The DASS-21 is the short version, with 21 statements about the past week. There are 7 for each of three areas, so you get separate scores for depression, anxiety and stress, each placed in a band from normal to extremely severe.
Psychologists often use the DASS-21 at the start of therapy and again later, to see whether symptoms are improving.
Why they are not functional assessments
Both tools ask how you have felt. The NDIA needs to understand what you can and cannot do because of your disability, such as looking after yourself, managing money, keeping a home, getting out, working or studying, and how much help you need.
For psychosocial disability, the NDIA asks for evidence from a treating health professional and a functional assessment. Its preferred tools, in order, are the LSP-16, HoNOS and the WHODAS 2.0. The K10 and DASS-21 are not on that list.
How they can still help your NDIS evidence
Scores from the K10 or DASS-21 can still add weight when they sit inside a fuller report. Repeated high scores over months or years can show that a condition is long lasting, and changes in scores can show how treatment has gone. The key is that the report connects symptoms to function.
- Ask your clinician to explain what your scores mean for your day to day life
- Include a functional assessment as well, such as the LSP-16 or WHODAS 2.0
- Include your treatment history, so the NDIA can see what has been tried
- Keep earlier scores, since a pattern over time says more than one result
For providers
If you are writing a report for an access request or reassessment, treat the K10 and DASS-21 as supporting information, not the main evidence. Pair them with a recognised functional measure and concrete examples of daily impact. For psychosocial recovery coaches and support coordinators, these scores can be useful context, but they should not be the basis for describing a participant's support needs.