Decision Fatigue Scale (DFS)
How tired are you of making decisions?
Feeling worn out from making decisions? The DFS measures how mentally drained you've felt over the past week. 9 items, about 3 minutes. Higher scores mean even small choices feel heavier.
What Is Decision Fatigue?
Decision fatigue is the gradual depletion of mental resources after a sustained period of decision-making. The more decisions you make, the harder each subsequent one feels — and the more likely you are to rush or avoid them altogether.
The DFS was designed for surrogate decision-makers in ICU settings (Hickman et al., 2018), but the items tap into a universal experience. Anyone who's had to make too many decisions in a row knows the feeling.
Interpretation
- 0–9: Low decision fatigue. Decision-making doesn't drain you noticeably.
- 10–18: Moderate. Decisions are starting to feel heavier.
- 19–27: High. Making decisions noticeably depletes your energy, and everyday choices have become a burden.
Note: The DFS has no established clinical cutoff. These levels are descriptive.
References
Hickman, R. L., Jr., Pignatiello, G. A., & Tahir, S. (2018). Evaluation of the Decisional Fatigue Scale among surrogate decision makers of the critically ill. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 40(2), 191–208.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 9 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.