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Category Mental Health

Select the statement that best describes how you have been feeling during the past two weeks, including today.

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About

The Beck Depression Inventory serves as a widely utilized psychometric instrument for measuring the severity of depression in adults and adolescents. This self-report inventory consists of 21 multiple-choice items that relate to specific symptoms such as hopelessness and irritability or fatigue. Health professionals often use this tool to establish a baseline for a patient and monitor changes in mood over time. It provides a quantitative value that corresponds to clinical definitions of depression levels.

Accuracy in self-reporting is essential for a valid result. Users select statements that best describe their feelings over the past two weeks. The tool aggregates these weighted responses to produce a composite score. This score classifies the severity into ranges from minimal to severe depression. Note that somatic symptoms like weight loss or sleep disturbance significantly impact the final summation. This digital implementation functions strictly as a screening aid and does not replace a formal diagnosis by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.

Formulas

The total score S is calculated by the summation of the weighted values w selected for each of the 21 items i. Each item has four potential responses valued from 0 to 3.

S = 21∑i=1 w_i

Where w_i ∈ {

0 symptom absent1 mild symptom2 moderate symptom3 severe symptom

Reference Data

Total Score (S)	Depression Severity Classification	Clinical Note
0 − 10	Normal / Minimal	Considered within the range of normal ups and downs.
11 − 16	Mild Mood Disturbance	Possible need for monitoring or lifestyle adjustments.
17 − 20	Borderline Clinical Depression	Often the threshold for considering professional consultation.
21 − 30	Moderate Depression	Clinical intervention is frequently recommended.
31 − 40	Severe Depression	Requires professional assessment and potential treatment.
> 40	Extreme Depression	Immediate professional psychiatric attention is indicated.
Item 9 > 0	Suicidal Ideation Risk	Any positive score on Item 9 warrants immediate safety evaluation.
Somatic	Physical Symptoms	Items 15-21 focus on physiological changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cut-off scores categorize the continuous variable of the total sum into discrete clinical labels. A score of 17 is widely regarded as the threshold where mild mood disturbance transitions into borderline clinical depression. These distinct boundaries assist clinicians in determining the necessity and type of intervention required for the patient.

No. A high score indicates a high burden of depressive symptoms but does not account for duration or other ruling-out criteria required for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Physical illnesses or grief can inflate scores without the presence of clinical depression. A qualified mental health professional must interpret these results within the context of a full clinical interview.

Items 15 through 21 assess physical manifestations such as sleep patterns, appetite, and fatigue. In populations with chronic physical illness, these items may elevate the total score artificially. Clinicians often look at the sub-score of cognitive-affective items (1 through 13) independently to assess mood without the interference of physical symptoms.

Item 9 specifically assesses suicidal thoughts and wishes. While mathematically it contributes the same 0-3 points to the total as any other item, clinically it acts as a "red flag." Any non-zero response on this parameter triggers an immediate need for a risk assessment protocol regardless of the total overall score.

Yes. One of the primary utilities of the BDI is monitoring progress over time. Patients often complete the inventory weekly or bi-weekly during treatment to track the efficacy of therapy or medication. A decrease in the total score generally correlates with clinical improvement.