The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used self-report measure of depressive symptoms in adults. Developed in the mid-1970s, it assesses the presence and severity of depressive symptoms over the past week. The CES-D is a reliable and valid measure of depressive symptoms, and it has been used in a variety of populations, including general community, primary care, psychiatric, and elderly samples (Radloff, 1977).
The CES-D consists of 20 items, each rated on a 4-point scale from 0 (rarely or none of the time) to 3 (most or all of the time). The items are divided into four subscales: depressed mood, positive affect, somatic-vegetative symptoms, and interpersonal problems. Higher scores indicate greater levels of depressive symptoms. Cutoffs for clinically significant depression range from 16 to 22, depending on the population studied (Radloff, 1977).
The CES-D has been used in a variety of research settings to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms in the general population and to evaluate the efficacy of treatment interventions (Radloff, 1977). In addition, it has been used to identify individuals at risk for depression and to monitor changes in depressive symptoms over time (Radloff, 1977).
The CES-D has been shown to have satisfactory psychometric properties, with good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity (Radloff, 1977). The measure has been translated into several languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Turkish, and Korean, and adapted for use in children and adolescents (Radloff, 1977).
Overall, the CES-D is an effective tool for assessing depressive symptoms in adults. It is a reliable and valid measure that has been used in a variety of research settings and populations.
References
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.