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The M3 Checklist is a 27-item, self-rated instrument that simultaneously screens for depression, anxiety (generalized, panic, social), post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and bipolar spectrum, plus functional impairment and substance use. It is registered in LOINC®, the standard terminology used in electronic health records and HL7 FHIR exchange, so every item and domain score carries an individual code. This page mirrors the official M3 Information Brief Symptom Checklist Diagnostic Guide.
Panel: M3 Checklist — follow-up form · LOINC 71891-6
(the baseline form carries its own corresponding LOINC codes; per-item codes below are shared concepts)
Response scale
0 — Not at all1 — Rarely2 — Sometimes3 — Often4 — Most of the time
The three question introductions (time-frames)
By clinical design, M3 items use one of three introductions. Each time-frame is intentional and follows standard psychiatric practice:
| Introduction | Exact stem | Applies to |
|---|
| Current symptoms | “Over the last two weeks or more, have you noticed the following…” (on a repeat visit: “since you last took the test…”) | Depression, anxiety (GAD, panic, social), PTSD, and obsessive-compulsive items |
| Lifetime history | “Have you ever noticed the following?” | Unstable mood / bipolar-spectrum items — bipolar history is assessed across the lifespan, not just the current period |
| Impact & safety | “Indicate whether any of the above symptoms…” | Functional impairment (work/school, relationships) and substance use (alcohol, other substances) |
Depression (items 1–7)
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 1 | I feel sad, down in the dumps or unhappy | 71806-4 |
| 2 | I can't concentrate or focus | 71826-2 |
| 3 | Nothing seems to give me much pleasure | 71807-2 |
| 4 | I feel tired; have no energy | 71808-0 |
| 5 | I have had thoughts of suicide (safety flag) | 71809-8 |
| 6 | Changes in sleep (parent; if neither fits, mark 0) | 71570-6 |
| 6a | I have difficulty sleeping | 71810-6 |
| 6b | I sleep too much | 71811-4 |
| 7 | Changes in appetite (parent; if neither fits, mark 0) | 71571-4 |
| 7a | I have lost some appetite | 71812-2 |
| 7b | I am eating more | 71813-0 |
Anxiety (items 8–12)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 8 | I feel tense, anxious or can't sit still | 71814-8 |
| 9 | I feel worried or fearful | 71815-5 |
Panic Disorder
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 10 | I have attacks of anxiety or panic | 71816-3 |
| 11 | I worry about dying or losing control | 71817-1 |
Social Anxiety Disorder
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 12 | I am nervous or shaky in social situations | 71818-9 |
Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) (items 13–16)
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 13 | I have nightmares or flashbacks | 71819-7 |
| 14 | I am jumpy or feel startled easily | 71820-5 |
| 15 | I avoid places that remind me of a bad experience | 71821-3 |
| 16 | I feel dull, numb, or detached | 71822-1 |
Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD) (items 17–19)
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 17 | I can't get certain thoughts out of my mind | 71823-9 |
| 18 | I feel I must repeat certain acts or rituals | 71824-7 |
| 19 | I feel the need to check and recheck things | 71825-4 |
Unstable Mood / Bipolar (items 20–23 — "have you ever…")
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 20 | I have more energy than usual | 71561-5 |
| 21 | I have felt unusually irritable or angry | 71562-3 |
| 22 | I have felt unusually excited, revved up or high | 71563-1 |
| 23 | I have needed less sleep than usual | 71564-9 |
Impact & substance use (check mark — "any of the above symptoms…")
| Item | Question | LOINC |
|---|
| 24 | …interferes with work or school | 71565-6 |
| 25 | …affects my relationships with friends or family | 71566-4 |
| 26 | …has led to my using alcohol to get by | 71567-2 |
| 27 | …has led to my using other substances | 71568-0 |
Domain scores
| Score | LOINC |
|---|
| Depression score | 71757-9 |
| Anxiety score | 71755-3 |
| Bipolar score | 71758-7 |
| PTSD score | 71754-6 |
Structure and item wording reflect the M3 Information™ Brief Symptom Checklist Diagnostic Guide (V.11.05, © 2002–2026 M3 Information). LOINC® is a registered trademark of Regenstrief Institute, Inc. Codes correspond to the LOINC-registered M3 Checklist panel (follow-up form, 71891-6). This page is a technical/clinical reference; the M3 is a screening tool and does not provide a diagnosis.