Skip to main content

Choosing the right questionnaire

Mindchart includes a wide range of validated questionnaires. Choosing the right one helps ensure that the data you collect is useful, appropriate, and meaningful — without overburdening participants.

This page offers practical guidance on how to select questionnaires based on purpose, context, and frequency.

Start with your purpose​

Before choosing a questionnaire, ask:

What am I trying to understand or track?

Most questionnaires fall into one of these categories:

Screening​

Used to identify whether a particular set of symptoms may be present.

  • Often short
  • Usually sent once or infrequently
  • Helps decide whether further assessment may be helpful

Example use:

  • Initial intake
  • Deciding whether to explore a specific area further

Outcome tracking​

Used to monitor change over time.

  • Designed to be repeated
  • Most useful when sent at regular intervals
  • Allows trends to be visualised

Example use:

  • Monitoring progress during therapy
  • Evaluating the impact of an intervention

Wellbeing and context​

Used to understand broader experiences or protective factors.

  • Often complements symptom measures
  • Helps provide context to outcome changes
  • May be sent less frequently

Example use:

  • Understanding resilience or wellbeing
  • Supporting reflective conversations

Screening vs tracking: an important distinction​

Not all questionnaires are suitable for repeated use.

  • Screening tools are often designed to flag possible concerns
  • Outcome measures are designed to track change

Sending a screening tool repeatedly can:

  • Increase participant fatigue
  • Produce misleading trends
  • Reduce the usefulness of the data

If you plan to track change, choose a questionnaire intended for ongoing measurement.

Consider length and burden​

Shorter questionnaires:

  • Are more likely to be completed
  • Work well for frequent check-ins
  • Are often sufficient for routine monitoring

Longer questionnaires:

  • May provide richer detail
  • Are best used sparingly
  • Are often more appropriate at baseline or review points

As a general guide:

  • Use short measures for routine tracking
  • Use longer measures when you need deeper insight

Use consistency over time​

Results are most meaningful when the same questionnaire is used consistently.

Good practice:

  • Choose a core set of questionnaires
  • Use them at the same points in time
  • Avoid switching measures unless there’s a clear reason

Consistency allows you to:

  • Compare scores meaningfully
  • See reliable trends
  • Reduce confusion for participants

Avoid sending too many questionnaires​

More questionnaires do not always mean better insight.

Sending too many at once can:

  • Reduce completion rates
  • Increase disengagement
  • Make results harder to interpret

If you’re unsure, start with one or two key questionnaires and add others only if needed.

Use the Questionnaire Hub​

The Questionnaire Hub allows you to:

  • Browse available questionnaires
  • Filter by tags (e.g. screening, anxiety, wellbeing)
  • Read descriptions before sending

If you’re unsure which questionnaire to use, the Hub is the best place to start.

Combining questionnaires with notes​

Questionnaires provide structured data, but they don’t tell the whole story.

Use participant notes to:

  • Record context
  • Explain unexpected score changes
  • Capture qualitative information

This combination gives the most meaningful insight.

When to ask for advice​

If you’re unsure which questionnaire is appropriate:

  • For a specific population
  • For repeated use
  • For service-level reporting

Contact the Mindchart team and we can help you choose a simple, appropriate setup.