Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (Self-Report) – QIDS-SR16
A 16-item self-report instrument designed to assess the severity of depressive symptoms over the past 7 days.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (Self-Report) – QIDS-SR16 was developed by A. John Rush (2003). It is designed to measure Depressive Symptomatology. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 16 items organized into 9 factors/subscales: Sleep Disturbance, Sad Mood, Appetite and Weight Changes, Concentration and Decision Making, Self-View, Suicidal Ideation, Interest, Energy Level, Psychomotor Changes.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep Disturbance | 1,2,3,4 | 4 |
| Sad Mood | 5 | 1 |
| Appetite and Weight Changes | 6,7,8,9 | 4 |
| Concentration and Decision Making | 10 | 1 |
| Self-View | 11 | 1 |
| Suicidal Ideation | 12 | 1 |
| Interest | 13 | 1 |
| Energy Level | 14 | 1 |
| Psychomotor Changes | 15,16 | 2 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Symptom absent / normal functioning, 1 = Mild severity / occasional, 2 = Moderate severity / frequent, 3 = Severe / constant.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 27. Interpretation guidelines:
- No Depression: 0 – 5
- Mild Depression: 6 – 10
- Moderate Depression: 11 – 15
- Severe Depression: 16 – 20
- Very Severe Depression: 21 – 27
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha of 0.86.
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.