In the past two weeks…
1. Have you been very sad? …
2. Have you been grouchy or irritable‚ or in a bad mood‚ so that even little things would make you mad?
3. Were there times when nothing was fun for you‚ even things you used to like?
4. Were there times when you just weren’t interested in anything and felt bored or just sat around most of the time?
5. Have you felt like not eating?
6. Have you wanted to eat more than usual?
7. Have you had more trouble sleeping than usual (falling asleep or staying asleep or waking up too early)?
8. Have you slept a lot more than usual?
9. Have you talked or moved around a lot less than usual?
10. Have you been very restless‚ when you just had to keep walking around?
11. Have you been so down that it was hard for you to do your schoolwork?
12. Have you had trouble looking after yourself or your things‚ like keeping yourself clean or picking up after yourself?
13. Have you felt more tired than usual‚ so that you sat around and didn’t do much of anything?
14. Have you felt like you had much less energy than usual‚ so that it was a big effort to do anything?
15. Have you felt less good about yourself than usual and blamed yourself a lot for things that happened in the past?
16. Have you been more down on yourself than usual‚ when you felt that you couldn’t do anything right?
17. Have you felt bad about the way you look?
18. Have you felt like you were about to cry or were in tears?
19. Have you had more trouble than usual paying attention to your schoolwork‚ or keeping your mind on other things you were doing?
20. Have you been unable to concentrate or to think as clearly or as quickly as usual?
21. Have you felt that things never seem to work out all right for you?
22. Were there times it was harder for you to make up your mind about things or to make decisions?
23. Have you felt that life was hopeless and that there was nothing good for you in the future?
24. Have you thought more than usual about death or dying?
25. Did you wish you were dead?
26. Have you thought about suicide or killing yourself?
This scale measures depression‚ incorporating diagnostic criteria for DSM disorders for children and adolescents. Respondents are asked to mark the response that best describes them during the past two weeks.
This tool touches on the following keywords:
This instrument can be found on pages 87-89 of Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Behaviors‚ and Influences Among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf .
Middle school students (in previous research applications)‚ although the instrument could probably be used with older youth populations.
The assessment can be scored as a summated scale. Point values are assigned as follows:
· Hardly ever or never = 0
· Sometimes = 1
· Often = 2
· Almost every day = 3
Scores will range from 0 to 78‚ with a high score indicating severe depression.
Roberts‚ R.E. (1993). DSM screener for depression. Houston‚ TX: University of Texas Health Science Center‚ School of Public Health. (Unpublished)
Roberts RE. Dahlberg LL; Toal SB; & Behrens CB (1998). Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes‚ Beliefs and Behaviors among Youths: A Compendium of Assessment Tools. Atlanta‚ Ga. : Division of Violence Prevention‚ National Center for Injury Prevention and Control‚ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pg. 49‚ 75-77