Frequently asked questions

What is the Youth Mental Health Map?

The Youth Mental Health Map is a short questionnaire that will help you and your clinician gain important information about the mental health challenges you may be experiencing.

Who is this for?

It’s designed for young people aged 12–25, but anyone is welcome to use it.

Why have I been asked to complete this questionnaire?

This questionnaire was recommended by your clinician to help build a clearer picture of your mental health. Your responses will help inform discussions about your symptoms and guide potential treatment options. It’s part of a broader approach to understanding what you’re experiencing.

What does the questionnaire measure?

Rather than focusing on specific diagnoses like depression or anxiety, this questionnaire assesses transdiagnostic dimensions — patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that cut across traditional mental health categories. These dimensions provide a more complete view of your mental wellbeing.

If you're interested in how these dimensions were developed, you can read more here.

Is this a diagnostic tool?

No. This is not a diagnostic assessment. It’s designed to support you and your clinician in understanding your mental health more deeply, but it doesn’t replace a clinical evaluation.

How should I interpret my results?

The results are based on a dimensional model. This means there are no clinical cut-offs or labels such as “healthy” or “normal.” Instead, your scores reflect where you sit along a range for each mental health dimension. You'll receive explanations of what higher or lower scores may mean, but they should always be interpreted in context and discussed with your clinician.

Is it private?

Yes. Your answers are anonymous, and your data is not stored. If you’d like to save your results, you can choose to download or share them.

When will the Youth Mental Health Map be available to the public?

The Youth Mental Health Map is currently being used as part of an ongoing research study. Once development and testing are complete, we hope to make a version of the tool publicly available.

What should I do if I’m struggling?

The results might bring up difficult feelings. If you’re worried about your mental health or someone else’s, talk to a trusted adult or a health professional. If you need immediate support, you can contact Lifeline (13 11 14) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) 24 hours, 7 days a week