Introduction

A depression rating scale is a psychiatric measuring instrument having descriptive words and phrases that indicate the severity of depression for a time period.

When used, an observer may make judgements and rate a person at a specified scale level with respect to identified characteristics. Rather than being used to diagnose depression, a depression rating scale may be used to assign a score to a person’s behaviour where that score may be used to determine whether that person should be evaluated more thoroughly for a depressive disorder diagnosis. Several rating scales are used for this purpose.

Between 1918 and 2009, more than 280 measures of depressive severity were developed and published (Santor, Gregus & Welch, 2009).

What is the Purpose of a Rating Scale?

To determine degree of depression.

Who Can Complete Rating Scales?

Scales Completed by Researchers

Some depression rating scales are completed by researchers. For example, the…