Self-Screening for Clinical Depression
This self-screening quiz is a tool to help you assess whether you might be experiencing symptoms of clinical depression. This is not a diagnostic tool but can guide you in seeking professional help.
Instructions:
Answer each question based on how you've felt over the past two weeks. Use the following scale:
0 = Not at all
1 = Several days
2 = More than half the days
3 = Nearly every day
Quiz Questions:
Little interest or pleasure in doing things.
Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless.
Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much.
Feeling tired or having little energy.
Poor appetite or overeating.
Feeling bad about yourself—or that you are a failure or have let yourself or your family down.
Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading or watching TV.
Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite—being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around more than usual.
Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or thoughts of hurting yourself in some way.
Scoring:
Add up your total score:
0–4: Minimal or no depression.
5–9: Mild depression.
10–14: Moderate depression.
15–19: Moderately severe depression.
20–27: Severe depression.
If your score is 10 or higher, it is advisable to seek professional evaluation from a licensed mental health provider.
Research-Based Assessments for Depression
1. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 is a widely used and validated tool for assessing the severity of depression. The questions in the quiz above are modeled after the PHQ-9. Studies show that it has a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 88% for major depressive disorder.
2. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)
Developed by Aaron T. Beck, the BDI-II is another well-known self-report inventory with 21 items. It is widely used in clinical and research settings to measure the severity of depression symptoms.
Strengths: Reliable and validated for both clinical and non-clinical populations.
Weaknesses: Requires purchase for administration and scoring.
3. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)
This clinician-administered questionnaire is often used in research and hospital settings. It evaluates mood, guilt, work, interests, and physical symptoms of depression.
Scoring Range: 0–7 = Normal, 8–16 = Mild, 17–23 = Moderate, 24+ = Severe.
Reliability: Often considered a gold standard for clinical research.
4. Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
This self-report measure assesses depressive symptoms in the general population. It is helpful for screening but not diagnostic.
Scoring: Scores above 16 suggest potential clinical depression.
5. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)
Specifically designed for postpartum individuals, the EPDS assesses depression symptoms that often accompany postpartum experiences.
Relevant Statistics
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression affects more than 280 million people globally, making it one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.
In the United States, 21 million adults (8.4% of the population) experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2020, per the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Research shows that early intervention can reduce the severity of symptoms and improve outcomes. Studies suggest that individuals who seek treatment within 6 months of the onset of symptoms are 40% more likely to experience symptom remission.
Citations
Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (2001). The PHQ-9: Validity of a Brief Depression Severity Measure. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 16(9), 606–613.
Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (1996). Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
Hamilton, M. (1960). A Rating Scale for Depression. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 23(1), 56–62.
Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385–401.
World Health Organization. (2021). Depression. Retrieved from who.int.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Major Depression. Retrieved from nimh.nih.gov. begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.