YP-CORE Calculator

The Young Person's Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (YP-CORE) is a 10-item self-report measure designed to assess psychological distress in young people. Originally validated with young people aged 11 to 16, it is commonly used in practice with adolescents up to age 18. Developed by Twigg, Barkham, Bewick, Mulhern, Connell, and Cooper as part of the CORE System, the YP-CORE provides a brief, age-appropriate measure of wellbeing for use in routine clinical practice with adolescents.

Each item is rated on a five-point scale from 0 ("Not at all") to 4 ("Most or all of the time"), yielding a total score between 0 and 40. The YP-CORE covers domains including subjective wellbeing, commonly experienced problems, functioning, and risk. It uses language and concepts that are accessible and relevant to the adolescent age group.

The YP-CORE was developed as the youth version of the CORE-OM (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation — Outcome Measure), which is one of the most widely used outcome measures in UK counselling and psychotherapy services. The validation study by Twigg and colleagues, published in Counselling and Psychotherapy Research in 2009, demonstrated that the YP-CORE had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.81) and adequate sensitivity to change.

The instrument was developed through consultation with young people and practitioners to ensure that the items were appropriate, understandable, and relevant to adolescent experiences. Items were selected to cover the same broad domains as the adult CORE-OM — wellbeing, problems, functioning, and risk — while using age-appropriate language.

The YP-CORE has been validated in both clinical and non-clinical adolescent samples and has been adopted in routine practice across multiple countries.

The YP-CORE uses a five-point frequency-based scale for each of its 10 items:

0 = Not at all 1 = Only occasionally 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Most or all of the time

Three items are positively worded and are reverse-scored. The total score is obtained by summing all 10 items (after reverse scoring), producing a range of 0 to 40. A mean score can be calculated by dividing the total by 10, yielding a range of 0.0 to 4.0.

Published clinical thresholds suggest:

Mean score below 1.0: Healthy range Mean score 1.0-1.4: Low-level distress Mean score 1.5-2.4: Moderate distress Mean score 2.5 and above: High distress — further evaluation recommended

The risk item (item 7, concerning self-harm) should be reviewed individually regardless of total score, as any endorsement may warrant clinical attention.

The YP-CORE is used in adolescent mental health services, school counselling, youth counselling services, and CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). Its brevity and youth-appropriate language support routine use at intake and throughout the course of care.

The instrument is particularly valued as an outcome monitoring tool. Administering the YP-CORE at regular intervals allows practitioners to track changes in a young person's psychological distress over time, supporting evidence-based practice and clinical review.

The inclusion of a risk item provides a structured prompt for practitioners to explore safety concerns. While a single item cannot comprehensively assess risk, it can serve as a starting point for further conversation about self-harm and safety.

The YP-CORE is part of the broader CORE System, which includes measures for adults (CORE-OM, CORE-10) and treatment evaluation tools. This allows services working across age groups to use related instruments within a consistent framework.

In Australia, the YP-CORE is used in school counselling services, headspace centres, private psychology practices, and youth mental health programs. It is relevant to the Australian emphasis on early intervention in youth mental health, as promoted by organisations such as headspace and the National Mental Health Commission.

The instrument's brevity and adolescent-friendly design make it practical for use with young people who may have limited tolerance for lengthy assessments. It is suitable for use in both clinical and non-clinical settings, including school-based wellbeing programs.

Australian practitioners working with young people aged 11 to 18 may find the YP-CORE a useful complement to other measures such as the K-10, which was primarily designed for adults. The YP-CORE is available without licensing fees, supporting its adoption across Australian youth services.