Youth Low Mood Check-In
A detailed private Backing U self-assessment designed to help you reflect on low mood in young people, including sadness, loss of interest, low energy, withdrawal, negative self-talk and reduced everyday functioning. It looks across feeling sad, flat or empty for long periods, losing interest in things I normally enjoy, having low energy or motivation for everyday tasks, being much harder on myself than usual and pulling away from friends, family, school or activities. The assessment contains 20 questions and is intended to give you a structured wellbeing snapshot, highlight the areas having the greatest effect, and provide practical recommendations for what to do next. It is not designed to diagnose a condition or replace an individual professional assessment.
The Youth Low Mood Check-In is a Backing U educational wellbeing and self-reflection tool. It is not a validated diagnostic instrument, does not provide a clinical diagnosis and does not replace individual assessment or advice from a qualified professional. For young people, results should be interpreted in context and discussed with a trusted adult or qualified professional when concerns are significant. Scores are influenced by how questions are understood and by the timeframe selected. If several items are marked N/A, the total may be lower and should be interpreted cautiously; individual responses may be more informative than the total score. If difficulties are severe, rapidly worsening, affecting basic functioning or creating safety concerns, seek appropriate professional or urgent support. External resources are provided for further reading and support only. They are operated by independent Australian or UK organisations and their inclusion does not imply endorsement of this Backing U tool.
I have noticed feeling sad, flat or empty for long periods.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Feeling sad, flat or empty for long periods has been difficult to ignore, switch off or manage once it starts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Feeling sad, flat or empty for long periods has affected my concentration, mood, sleep, relationships, responsibilities or usual routine.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have changed, delayed, avoided or pushed through things because of feeling sad, flat or empty for long periods.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have noticed losing interest in things I normally enjoy.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Losing interest in things I normally enjoy has been difficult to ignore, switch off or manage once it starts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Losing interest in things I normally enjoy has affected my concentration, mood, sleep, relationships, responsibilities or usual routine.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have changed, delayed, avoided or pushed through things because of losing interest in things I normally enjoy.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have noticed having low energy or motivation for everyday tasks.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Having low energy or motivation for everyday tasks has been difficult to ignore, switch off or manage once it starts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Having low energy or motivation for everyday tasks has affected my concentration, mood, sleep, relationships, responsibilities or usual routine.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have changed, delayed, avoided or pushed through things because of having low energy or motivation for everyday tasks.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have noticed being much harder on myself than usual.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Being much harder on myself than usual has been difficult to ignore, switch off or manage once it starts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Being much harder on myself than usual has affected my concentration, mood, sleep, relationships, responsibilities or usual routine.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have changed, delayed, avoided or pushed through things because of being much harder on myself than usual.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have noticed pulling away from friends, family, school or activities.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Pulling away from friends, family, school or activities has been difficult to ignore, switch off or manage once it starts.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Pulling away from friends, family, school or activities has affected my concentration, mood, sleep, relationships, responsibilities or usual routine.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
I have changed, delayed, avoided or pushed through things because of pulling away from friends, family, school or activities.
Choose 0 if this has not applied and 10 if it has applied very strongly or almost all the time. There are no right or wrong answers. Use N/A only if the question genuinely does not fit your situation.
Keep or share a copy of your result
You can email a copy of this result to yourself. You can separately choose whether Backing U may receive an anonymous copy of your responses and result for quality improvement and research.
The Youth Low Mood Check-In is a Backing U educational wellbeing and self-reflection tool. It is not a validated diagnostic instrument, does not provide a clinical diagnosis and does not replace individual assessment or advice from a qualified professional. For young people, results should be interpreted in context and discussed with a trusted adult or qualified professional when concerns are significant. Scores are influenced by how questions are understood and by the timeframe selected. If several items are marked N/A, the total may be lower and should be interpreted cautiously; individual responses may be more informative than the total score. If difficulties are severe, rapidly worsening, affecting basic functioning or creating safety concerns, seek appropriate professional or urgent support. External resources are provided for further reading and support only. They are operated by independent Australian or UK organisations and their inclusion does not imply endorsement of this Backing U tool.