Depression is a mood disorder characterized by depressed mood, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, sleeping too little or too much, excessive fatigue, changes in weight or appetite, concentration difficulties, and thoughts about suicide or death. Mental health professionals and researchers often use scales to measure the severity of depression in adults.
Beck Depression Inventory--Second Edition (BDI-II)
The most recent version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) has 21 items that have multiple-choice responses. Each item assesses a specific symptom of depression. The severity of depression is calculated by summing all item scores. Higher scores are indicators of more severe depression. The BDI-II is a widely used depression scale in clinical and research settings. Dr. Aaron Beck of the University of Pennsylvania developed the BDI, which has gone through revisions to reflect changes in diagnostic criteria of depression.
Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
The National Institutes of Health designed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to measure depression among adults in the general population. The CES-D is a 20-item scale that is often used as a depression screening tool in public health research. Relationships between depression and other factors can be evaluated with the CES-D.
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) assesses depression among older adults. It can be used to measure depression among older individuals who are healthy, ill or have mild to moderate cognitive impairment. The GDS contains 30 yes/no questions and higher scores reflect more severe depression. Dr. Jerome Yesavage and his colleagues at Stanford University developed the GDS.
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)
The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) contains 21 items, but the first 17 are used in scoring the severity of depression. Higher total summed scores of items indicate more severe depression. Unlike most depression scales, a clinician asks the person being assessed the items. Higher summed scores of the items indicate more severe depression. The HAM-D has been the "gold standard" for assessing the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment, according to a review of research in the March/April 2003 issue of "Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics." Dr. Max Hamilton of the University of Leeds developed the HAM-D.
Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZDS)
Duke University psychiatrist, Dr. Willam Zung developed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (ZDS) to assess the severity of depression of adults. The ZDS is a 20-item assessment often used in clinic and research settings. A higher total score is a sign of more severe depression.
References
- "Applied Psychological Measurement"; The CED-D Scale: A Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population; Lenore Radloff; June 1977.
- "Archives of General Psychiatry"; A Self-Rating Depression Scale; William Zung; January 1965.
- "Journal of Psychiatric Research"; Development and Validation of a Geriatric Depression Screening Scale: A Preliminary Report; Jerome Yesavage, T.L. Brinka, Terence. Roseb, Owen Lumc, Virginia Huangb, Michael Adeyb and Von Otto Leirer; 1982-1983.
- "Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II"; Aaron Beck, Robert Steer and Gregory Brown; The Psychological Corporation; 1996.
- "Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics"; Getting What You Ask For: On the Selectivity of Rating Scales; Koen Demyttenaere and Jurgen De Fruyt; March/April 2003.
