The Groningen Distress Scale (GDS) was developed to grade distress associated with a potentially painful event. It can be used to monitor a phobic patient's experience towards a triggering stimulus. The original scale was developed at the University of Gronngen in The Netherlands.
Posture
Facial Expression
Conversation
Behavior
Grade
relaxed
smiling, pleasant; eye contact
expresses confidence, conversational tone
calm
1
attentive
loss of pleasant expression; loss of eye contact; grimacing
whispers, or silent expression of fear
timid and nervous
2
rigid, tense, white knuckles
sniffling, tearing
vocalizes pain, audible crying for less than 30 seconds
serious distress, still under control
3
irregular, rapid movements, tries to move away from perceived threat
excited
incoherent, audible crying for more than 30 seconds, moaning
severe distress, with loss of control
4
flailing, attempts to strike or run away
<terrified>
screaming, may make inappropriate or hurtful remarks
panic
5
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
