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Cyclothymia test: Understand your mood patterns

A calm, structured self-check to help you make sense of long-term emotional ups and downs

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MA Psychology

This test is based on the following validated scales, recommended by researchers to assess cyclothymia:

  1. Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego – Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A)1Akiskal, H. S., Mendlowicz, M. V., Jean-Louis, G., Rapaport, M. H., Kelsoe, J. R., Gillin, J. C., & Smith, T. L. (2005). TEMPS-A: validation of a short version of a self-rated instrument designed to measure variations in temperament. Journal of affective disorders85(1-2), 45-52.
  2. Cyclothymic-Hypersensitive Temperament Questionnaire (CHTQ)2Pisano, S., Senese, V. P., Bravaccio, C., Santangelo, P., Milone, A., Masi, G., & Catone, G. (2020). Cyclothymic-hypersensitive temperament in youths: Refining the structure, the way of assessment and the clinical significance in the youth population. Journal of Affective Disorders271, 272-278.

Disclaimer: This quiz is for awareness only and does not diagnose or replace professional advice. If you suspect you may have Cyclothymia or your symptoms affect daily life, consult a qualified mental health professional.

What is cyclothymia?

The term ‘cyclothymia’ is derived from the Greek “kyklos”, meaning “cycle” and “thymos”, meaning “mood”. A person with cyclothymia experiences frequent mood cycles or mood swings.3Parker, G., McCraw, S., & Fletcher, K. (2012). Cyclothymia. Depression and Anxiety29(6), 487-494.

In cyclothymia, a person oscillates between periods of hypomania– a euphoric and energetic state- and mild depression– feeling low. When such mood swings become severe and more frequent, they interfere with a person’s work life, health, and social life. Intense and frequent mood swings are symptomatic of cyclothymic disorder.

However, according to the DSM-5, these are not as frequent, long, severe, or pervasive to meet the full criteria for a hypomanic or a major depressive episode, as seen in bipolar disorder.4American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.

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