Depression Scale - For Identifying Depression

A depression scale is designed to assess, ascertain, establish, and identify signs and symptoms of depression, which is sometimes accompanied by stress and anxiety. Such scales are series of questions or inventories that need to be answered by people in an attempt to spot and uncover the degree and intensity of depression. They are sometimes also referred to as quizzes.

Various depression inventories used to detect depression in a healthcare setting include the Beck Scale, Geriatric Scale, and Hamilton Scale. Depending on the scale chosen to assess depression, it takes about 15-20 minutes on average to complete an evaluation on a depression scale.

Details of three extremely popular scales, namely the Beck scale, Geriatric scale, and Hamilton scale, are described on this site.

Beck

Beck Depression Scale was designed by Aaron Beck, an expert and initiator of cognitive therapy, and is named after him.

Beck Scale of Depression or Beck Depression Inventory, also referred to as BDI, is a questionnaire created to gauge the extent, gravity, and degree of depression in people experiencing the problem. It can be administered to people above the age of 13 years.

BDI is a questionnaire comprising 21 questions that have been developed to detect exact and precise signs and symptoms which are widespread amid various people suffering from depression. This questionnaire or inventory of 21 questions is accompanied by another set of seven questions developed specifically for healthcare providers in administering and processing BDI.

Click here to read more about the Beck Depression Inventory or Scale.

Geriatric

Depression in older people is often accompanied by and associated with various medical conditions that are extremely difficult to overcome. Hence, diagnosing, treating, and managing geriatric depression is very complex and challenging.

Geriatric patients are at a greater risk of suffering from problems like dementia, brain hemorrhage resulting in stroke and paralysis, etc, which exhibit a lot of mental and physical symptoms. Hence, detecting depression in geriatric patients is difficult and needs to be carried out under extreme care.

Since time is at a premium with all depression patients and especially with geriatric cases, diagnosis and treatment of depression needs to be handled quickly and effectively.

Click here to read more about the Geriatric Scale.

Hamilton

Hamilton Depression Scale is an inventory of questions or test that is employed to detect and identify the intensity or severity of the signs and symptoms of depression in patients who have been diagnosed with clinical depression. It is also referred to as Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression or Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

HDS was initially developed or created by Max Hamilton and can be used along with patient interviews. It was first developed in the year 1960 and revised in the year 1967.

HDS or HRSD comprises of 21 questions, covering topics pertinent to symptoms of depression based on emotions like guilt, experiencing a depressed state of mind, suicidal thoughts, and physical or somatic symptoms. Such symptoms include no sleep or sleeplessness as well as experiencing and imagining that one is suffering from various health conditions, a condition called hypochondriasis.

Click here to read more about the Hamilton Depression Scale.

Useful Depression Resources