Printable Beck Depression Inventory Short Form And Quiz

The Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) is a twenty-one item self test to help you assess your degree of depression. Although this test is self administered, you will need a mental health professional to interpret the results.

Each question is compared to a symptom of depression, that is summarized to give a score for the BDI-II. Each question ranges in score from zero to three, with a score three for any question being the most severe when describing a particular symptom. Total added scores for all questions are summed up to give a determination of the degree depression.

A score of 0-13 is considered minimal range, 14-19 is mild, 20-28 is moderate, and 29-63 is severe. A sample question might look like this:

• (0) I do not feel sad


• (1) I feel sad


• (2) I am sad all the time and I can't snap out of it


• (3) I am so sad or unhappy that I can't stand it

The Beck Depression Inventory Short Form and Quiz has been in use for the past thirty-five years or more and helps to identify the symptoms of depression. This test is regarded as highly reliable and can distinguish between one who is depressed and one who is not. Items have been added, subtracted, and worded differently to address specific symptoms of depressive disorders.
There are three versions of the BDI—the original BDI, first issued in 1961 and later underwent revision in 1978 as the BDI-1A, and the BDI-II, printed in 1996. The BDI is widely utilized as an evaluation instrument by health care professionals and researchers in an assortment of scopes.

BDI-IA:

The BDI-IA was a revision of the original instrument, developed by Beck during the 1970s and copyrighted in 1978. However, this version was found to contain some flaws.

BDI-II:
The BDI-II was a 1996 revision of the BDI. Items affecting alterations in body image, hypochondria, and trouble doing work were replaced. Additionally, difficulties in sleep and appetite items were revised to assess both growths and reductions in sleep and appetite. All but three of the items were rephrased. Items concerning feelings of being punished, thoughts about suicide, and interest in sex stayed as is. Finally, respondents were asked to rate how they have been feeling for the past two weeks, as opposed to the past week as in the original BDI.

Two-factors of depression:

Depression can be regarded as as having two elements: the affective component, or mood, and the physical or somatic factor, also known as loss of appetite. The purpose is to help ascertain the main cause of a patient's depression
The BDI-II is intended to assess the severity of depression in psychiatrically diagnosed adults and adolescents 13 years of age and older. It is not intended to assist as a tool of diagnosis.

Because of strict copyright rules, a printable beck depression inventory short form and quiz can not be shown here, but I was successful in locating a site that carries it and you can take the test yourself for free. Again, you must have a professional interpret the results if you have concerns or issues with depression. The test is located here.

by Barb Hicks, RN