The article provides an overview of clinical self-rating scales for manic symptoms, aiming to promote its use in clinical practice. Of the four identified scales available in German language, the Manie-Selbstbeurteilungs-Skala MSS by Bräunig et al., which is a translation of the Self-Rating Manic Inventory SRMI by Shugar et al., is the best validated instrument both for diagnostic purposes and for measuring symptom severity during the course of illness. This overview is followed by a brief discussion of newer developments in the bipolar spectrum, temperament and hypomania research. In addition, options of using mania scales for measuring hypomania according to DSM-IV and/or ICD-10 criteria for bipolar disorders are suggested.