Rochester Youth Development Study Depression Scale – RYDS-D
Measures the frequency of depressive symptoms in adolescents over the past 30 days.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Rochester Youth Development Study Depression Scale – RYDS-D was developed by Rochester Youth Development Study (adapted from Lenore S. Radloff) (1997). It is designed to measure Depression. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents and youth.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 14 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Never or almost never, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often, 4 = Always or almost always.
The scale includes 2 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 14 to 56. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low depressive symptoms: 14 – 27
- Moderate depressive symptoms: 28 – 41
- High depressive symptoms: 42 – 56
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not specified.
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.