| An overview of depression self-assessment tests. | | | | form. |
| The most frequent psychological problem in the | | | | Depression self-assessment tests arent some |
| United States is depression. Depression is thought to | | | | arbitrary question and answer form: they are typically |
| affect twenty percent of the populace in the US. | | | | simple to perform, but have been designed to be |
| This percentage would amount to roughly sixty million | | | | exceptionally accurate in testing for depression and |
| people, an incredible number if its even close to | | | | are based upon established psychological principles. In |
| being accurate. While depression happens a lot, | | | | addition to asking particular questions about a |
| depression doesnt get diagnosed a lot. Most people | | | | persons state, symptom intensity and duration will |
| with depression have never been diagnosed. There | | | | also be measured by credible depression |
| are also surely many people who believe theyre | | | | self-assessment tests. This type of inquiry can often |
| depressed, but arent certain about it. | | | | distinguish between genuine depression and other, |
| Though its reasonable and even wise to get | | | | temporary mood disturbances. |
| diagnosed for depression by a mental health | | | | Arguably the most popular of the depression |
| professional, other means for determining depression | | | | self-assessment tests is the Beck Depression |
| exist that can be carried out completely on one's | | | | Inventory, or the BDI. Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist and |
| own, outside of any type of clinical environment. | | | | an advocate for cognitive therapy, developed the |
| These methods specifically take the form of | | | | BDI. The BDI came into use in the early 1960s and |
| personally assessing depression by participating in a | | | | in the time since has been put under copyright and |
| self-assessment test. Self-assessment tests for | | | | used on a large clinical scale. There are twenty-one |
| depression are quite common, and in fact are often | | | | questions on the Beck Depression Inventory, with |
| used in professional settings during efforts to make a | | | | each question response given a zero to three score |
| mood disorder diagnosis. Studies have found that | | | | for a total of four potential responses. The BDI is |
| people are typically quite honest in answering | | | | completed entirely by the individual being assessed |
| questions about their mood, and this may be | | | | for depression, even when the BDI is performed in a |
| especially true when answering questions in written | | | | clinical setting. |