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Doomscrolling Scale

Are you always on the lookout for negative news and harrowing headlines? Take this test to find out if you have a 'doomscrolling' habit.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

February 9, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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The term "doomscrolling" has emerged as a poignant descriptor for a troubling phenomenon in our digital age. It encapsulates the compulsive behavior of endlessly scrolling through negative news and social media feeds. Driven by an insatiable thirst for information, the behavior often persists at the expense of one's mental well-being. This habit, while seemingly innocuous on the surface, can have profound implications for individuals' psychological health and overall quality of life.

As more individuals find themselves entrapped in the cycle of doomscrolling, there arises a pressing need to identify and measure the severity of these behaviors. By doing so, researchers and mental health professionals can gain valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms driving doomscrolling, and develop targeted interventions to mitigate its adverse effects.

The Doomscrolling Scale provides a standardized framework for evaluating the frequency and intensity of doomscrolling behaviors, as well as the emotional responses they elicit. Through its use, researchers can gain deeper insights into the psychological factors contributing to this habit and tailor interventions accordingly. Moreover, the scale serves as a valuable tool for individuals to self-assess their doomscrolling tendencies and take proactive steps towards fostering healthier digital habits.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Sharma, B., Lee, S. S., & Johnson, B. K. (2022). The dark at the end of the tunnel: Doomscrolling on social media newsfeeds. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 3(1). 1-13. doi:10.1037/tmb0000059

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. I feel an urge to seek bad news on social media, more and more often.

2. I lose track of time when I read bad news on social media.

3. I constantly refresh my newsfeeds to see if something bad happened.

4. I stay up late at night trying to find more negative news.

5. Reading negative news on social media is more of a habit now.

6. When I am online, I feel tense as if something bad is going to happen soon.

7. I constantly feel panicked while scrolling on my device.

8. I unconsciously check my newsfeeds for bad news.

9. Even if my newsfeed says I am all caught up, I just keep scrolling for negative news.

10. I find myself continuously browsing negative news.

11. I check social media in the morning to see what bad things have happened.

12. I feel like I am addicted to negative news.

13. My social media searches probably make my newsfeeds more negative.

14. I am terrified by what I see on social media but I cannot look away.

15. It’s difficult to stop reading negative news on social media.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.