Depressionsskalen

Depressionsskalen are standardized instruments used to measure depressive symptoms and their severity in individuals. They are used in clinical assessment, research, and screening to identify depressive states, monitor change over time, and evaluate treatment response.

There are self-report scales and clinician-administered scales. Examples include self-report: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI and BDI-II), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Clinician-rated scales include the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

Most scales assess core symptoms such as mood and anhedonia, as well as sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, psychomotor changes, sense of guilt or worthlessness, and suicidal ideation. Scoring ranges and cutoff values differ by instrument, with higher scores indicating greater depressive severity.

Psychometric properties are generally strong, with established reliability and validity in various populations; translations and cultural adaptations exist. They are widely used for initial screening in primary care and for tracking treatment outcomes in clinical research. Limitations include symptom overlap with medical conditions, response biases, and cultural differences. Proper use involves integrating scale results with clinical interviews, functional assessment, and patient history.