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Beck Depression Inventory – BDI
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| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck et al., 1961) was designed to measure the behavioral manifestations of depression. It consists of 21 self-report items derived from systematic observations and records of depressed patients. Each item has a multiple-choice response format, with answers ranging in intensity from 0 (I do not feel sad) to 3 (I am so sad or unhappy that I canโt stand it). High reliability was indicated by a strong split-half item analysis and a significant relationship between individual category scores and the total scores. The inventory was able to reflect clinical changes in depression depth and discriminated effectively among patients with varying degrees of depression. It is a useful tool for both research on depression and psychiatric diagnosis. |
| Author | Beck, A. T.; Ward, C. H.; Mendelson, M.; Mock, J.; Erbaugh, J. |
| Purpose | To measure the behavioral manifestations of depression. |
| Construct | Depression |
| Instrument Type | Inventory/Questionnaire |
| Reliability | Split-half reliability yielded a Pearson r of 0.86, which increased to 0.93 after applying the Spearman-Brown correction. Internal consistency and stability indicate high reliability. |
| Validity | The inventory showed a high degree of validity when comparing scores with clinical judgments made by diagnosticians. |
| Factor Analysis | No factor analysis indicated. |
| Test Methodology | The BDI uses multiple-choice responses with answer choices ranging from 0 (I do not feel sad) to 3 (I am so sad or unhappy that I canโt stand it), with higher scores indicating greater severity of depression. |
| Test Items | 21 items |
| Classification | 6700 Mental Health/Illness Related Assessment |
| Population Group | Human; Male; Female; Inpatient; Outpatient |
| Population Details | Location: US; Sample: Inpatients, Outpatients |
| Keywords | Depression; Symptoms |
| Index Terms | Beck Depression Inventory; Major Depression; Psychiatric Symptoms |
| Permissions | Contact Publisher |
| Reference | Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561โ571. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1961.01710120031004 |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2026). Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/beck-depression-inventory-bdi/
Mohammed looti. "Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 3 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/beck-depression-inventory-bdi/.
Mohammed looti. "Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/beck-depression-inventory-bdi/.
Mohammed looti (2026) 'Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/beck-depression-inventory-bdi/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ุต Z-Z, April, 2026.
Mohammed looti. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.