Depression Self-Test

Mood Disorders Research

Early Intervention & Prevention

A depressive disorder is a whole-body illness that involves the way we think, feel, and behave and can even affect our physical health. While occasionally experiencing a “blue” mood or feelings of unhappiness is not an indication of a depressive disorder, it is important to understand that people who do meet the criteria for a depressive illness most often cannot get better on their own.

Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or even years. During any one-year period, nearly 19 million American adults suffer from a depressive illness. Appropriate treatment, however, can help people who suffer from depression achieve partial or total remission in nearly 80% of cases.

Nearly 20 million Americans experience depression, but many will never seek treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The Depression Self-Rating Test is a simple, 16-question quiz to help you identify common symptoms of depression and their severity.

Depression is more than just feeling down: it is a real medical condition that can be effectively treated.

Mood Disorders Research

Depression Self-Rating Test

Instructions: Write down one response to each item that best describes you for the past 7 days. After you have answered each question, tally the numbers from your notes to determine your depression score. The information below the form will help you understand your score and recommend follow-up actions for you to consider.

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1. Falling asleep

	0		I never take longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
	1		I take at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, less than half the time.
	2		I take at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.
	3		I take more than 60 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.

2. Sleeping during the night

	0		I do not wake up at night.
	1		I have a restless, light sleep with a few brief awakenings each night.
	2		I wake up at least once a night, but I go back to sleep easily.
	3		I awaken more than once a night and stay away for 20 minutes or more, more than half the time.

3. Wake up too early

	0		Most of the time, I awaken no more than 30 minutes before I need to get up.
	1		More than half the time, I awaken more than 30 minutes before I need to get up.
	2		I almost always awaken at least an hour or so before I need to, but I go back to sleep eventually.
	3		I awaken at least an hour before I need to and can't go back to sleep.

4. Sleeping too much

	0		I sleep no longer than 7-8 hours/night, without napping during the day.
	1		I sleep no longer than 10 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.
	2		I sleep no longer than 12 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.
	3		I sleep longer than 12 hours in a 24-hour period including naps.

5. Feeling sad

	0		I do not feel sad.
	1		I feel sad less than half the time.
	2		I feel sad more than half the time.
	3		I feel sad nearly all of the time.

6. Decreased appetite

	0		There is no change in my usual appetite.
	1		I eat somewhat less often or lesser amounts of food than usual.
	2		I eat much less than usual and only with personal effort.
	3		I rarely eat within a 24-hour period, and only with extreme personal effort or when others persuade me to eat.

7. Increased appetite

	0		There is no change from my usual appetite.
	1		I feel a need to eat more frequently than usual.
	2		I regularly eat more often and/or greater amounts of food than usual.
	3		I feel driven to overeat both at mealtime and between meals.

8. Decreased weight (within the last two weeks)

	0		I have not had a change in my weight.
	1		I feel as if I've had a slight weight loss.
	2		I have lost 2 pounds or more.
	3		I have lost 5 pounds or more.

9. Increased weight (within the last two weeks)

	0		I have not had a change in my weight.
	1		I feel as if I've had a slight weight gain.
	2		I have gained 2 pounds or more.
	3		I have gained 5 pounds or more.

10. Concentration/ Decision-making

	0		There is no change in my usual capacity to concentrate or make decisions.
	1		I occasionally feel indecisive or find that my attention wanders.
	2		Most of the time, I struggle to focus my attention or to make decisions.
	3		I cannot concentrate well enough to read or cannot make even minor decisions.

11. View of myself

	0		I see myself as equally worthwhile and deserving as other people.
	1		I am more self-blaming than usual.
	2		I largely believe that I cause problems for others.
	3		I think almost constantly about major and minor defects in myself.

12. Life is not worth living

	0		Life is worth living.
	1		I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living occasionally.
	2		I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living often.
	3		I feel that life is empty or wonder if it's worth living all the time.

13. General interest

	0		There is no change from usual in how interested I am in other people or activities.
	1		I notice that I am less interested in people or activities.
	2		I find I have interest in only one or two of my formerly pursued activities.
	3		I have virtually no interest in formerly pursued activities.

14. Energy level

	0		There is no change in my usual level of energy.
	1		I get tired more easily than usual.
	2		I have to make a big effort to start or finish my usual daily activities (for example: shopping, homework, cooking, or going to work).
	3		I really cannot carry out most of my usual daily activities because I just don't have the energy.

15. Feeling slowed down

	0		I think, speak, and move at my usual rate of speed.
	1		I find that my thinking is slowed down or my voice sounds dull or flat.
	2		It takes me several seconds to respond to most questions, and I'm sure my thinking is slowed.
	3		I am often unable to respond to questions without extreme effort.

16. Feeling restless

	0		I do not feel restless.
	1		I'm often fidgety, wringing my hands, or need to shift how I am sitting.
	2		I have impulses to move about and am quite restless.
	3		At times, I am unable to stay seated and need to pace around.

Understanding Your Depression Score

The score on the Depression Self-Rating Test ranges from 0 to 27 and breaks down according to the following criteria:

Normal 0–5
Mild 6–10
Moderate 11–15
Severe 16–20
Very Severe 21

If your depression score is 9 or greater, you may qualify to participate in one of the current studies being conducted at the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care. If you'd like to participate in a research study, contact us at Email or by calling 214-648-HELP (214-648-4357).

Reminder:
Keep in mind that your depression rating does not represent a formal diagnosis of depression. Instead, your rating indicates that you have some of the common symptoms associated with depression and, therefore, may have the illness. If you have answered all the questions as honestly as possible and you feel that the results of the test are accurate, you should consult a health care professional to obtain a formal diagnosis of depression if so indicated.

Note: The above cutoff points are based largely on clinical judgment rather than on empirical data.

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