Major Depression Inventory (MDI)
A self-report instrument designed to assess the severity of depressive symptoms and aid in the DSM-IV diagnosis of major depression.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Major Depression Inventory (MDI) was developed by Per Bech (2001). It is designed to measure Depression Severity. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 12 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = At no time, 1 = Some of the time, 2 = Slightly less than half the time, 3 = Slightly more than half the time, 4 = Most of the time, 5 = All the time.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 50. Interpretation guidelines:
- Depression does not exist or its existence is doubtful: 0 – 20
- Mild depression: 21 – 25
- Moderate depression: 26 – 30
- Severe depression: 31 – 50
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High internal consistency.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.