Description:
The Beck Depression Inventory (second edition) is a self-administered
tool for screening and assessing the severity of depression
in adolescents and adults. Twenty-one items assess the intensity
of depression in diagnosed patients as well as detect possible
depression in normal population. Each item is a list of four
statements arranged in increasing severity about a particular
symptom of depression. This version of the BDI is in compliance
with DSM-IV criteria for depression, and the age range covered
has been expanded to 13 to 80 years of age.
Uses of Information: The BDI-II is an assessment of the severity
of depression in psychiatrically diagnosed adults and adolescent
patients aged 13 and older. It was developed as an indicator
of the presence and degree of symptoms correlated with depression
as defined in the DSM-IV (including suicidality), not as an
instrument for specifying a clinical diagnosis. It is also
used extensively to monitor therapeutic progress.
Reliability: (1) Internal consistency
(Cronbach’s alpha) is .92 for clinical patients and
.93 for non-clinical individuals. (2) Test-retest reliability
is .93 (only for a small subsample of outpatients, tested
with a one week lapse).
Validity: (1) Concurrent validity:
two comparisons between BDI-II and its previous version resulted
in correlations of .93 and .84, the latter using the take-home
form. Other tests found BDI-II to be correlated with the Beck
Hopelessness Scale (.68), Scale for Suicide Ideation (.37),
Beck Anxiety Inventory (.60), Hamilton Psychiatric Rating
Scale for Depression-Revised (.71), and Hamilton Rating Scale
for Anxiety - Revised (.47).
Method of Scoring: Most items on the BDI-II are rated on
a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3. Several items have seven
response options to discern differences in behavior or motivation.
The BDI-II is scored by adding the ratings for the 21 items.
The maximum total score is 63.
Interpretability: The interpretation of the scores should
be done by professionals who have appropriate training and
experience. Clinical interpretation of total scores uses the
following guidelines: 0 to 13 (minimal depression),
14 to 19 (mild depression), 20 to 28 (moderate depression),
and 29 to 63 (severe depression). The Beck InterpreTrak software
package offers a quick analysis of results for all of the
Beck Scales (Depression, Anxiety, Hopelessness, and Suicidal
Ideation) and then summarizes results in a single interpretive
report with insights from Aaron T. Beck, M.D. IntepreTrak
also helps monitor progress by generating longitudinal graphs
and outcome ratings for each patient.
Training Support: Minimal training is required for administering
or scoring the scale.
Adaptations/Special Instructions for Individuals with Disabilities:
For individuals with reading or concentration difficulties,
the items may be read aloud by the examiner. The manual includes
instructions for both oral and self-administration. The manual
also includes brief guidelines on how to help patients with
severe depression understand the range of responses to the
questions.
Report Preparation Support:
The InterpreTrak software (available in CD-ROM or diskette)
produces a comprehensive interpretive report.
References:
Beck, Aaron T., Gregory K. Brown, and Robert A. Steer. Beck
Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological
Corporation, 1996.
Beck, Aaron T. Beck InterpreTrak. San Antonio, TX: The Psychological
Corporation, 2000. |
