Loading...
Printed on 4/21/2026
For informational purposes only. This is not medical advice.
K6 is a concise population-level distress screen that estimates non-specific severe psychological distress risk over the past month.
Formula: K6 total = sum of 6 items scored 0-4 (range 0-24).
The K6 is a six-item non-specific distress screener developed for population surveys and brief clinical triage. A cutoff of 13 or higher is commonly used to identify probable serious psychological distress in epidemiologic and health-system screening workflows, with follow-up diagnostic evaluation required for any positive screen.
Higher K6 totals indicate greater distress burden and support more comprehensive mental-health assessment.
Use for rapid distress triage in clinical intake, primary care, and wellness-screening contexts.
K6 is non-specific and does not determine diagnosis, etiology, or acute safety status without direct clinical assessment.
For related assessments, see K10 Distress, PHQ-4 and HADS.
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health.
Measure non-specific psychological distress over the past 4 weeks using the 10-item K10 scale.
Mental HealthRapid 4-item screen combining PHQ-2 and GAD-2 to triage depression and anxiety burden.
Mental HealthScreen anxiety and depression symptom burden using the 14-item HADS (HADS-A + HADS-D).