How to Use the Beck Depression Inventory

Setting Up the Test

Familiarize yourself with the Beck Depression Inventory. There is a lot of information online about the administration and scoring of the Beck Depression Inventory. It's a good idea to do some online research before you begin. Here is some valuable information about the inventory: It is a 21 item self-report inventory. It is used to evaluate depression in both clinical and non-clinical patients. It was developed to be administered on adolescents and adults, so it can be used by anyone 13 and above. It uses a rating tool where each item is rated on a four point scale from 0-3. 0 means you are experiencing no symptoms, while 3 means you are experiencing a severe form of the symptoms. The inventory has been translated into various languages.

Read the test items carefully. In order to use this tool for self-administration or to administer it to someone else, you should first read all of the items carefully along with the instructions. For example, a question may ask you to respond by circling the response that most accurately describes you, such as 0: I do not feel sad 1: I feel sad some of the time 2: I am sad all the time 3: I am so sad or unhappy that I can’t stand.

Get acquainted with the administration procedure. This is very important for administering the inventory. First of all, you have to rate the items based on your condition during the past two weeks as well as they day you administer the test. If you feel that multiple statements describe your condition equally, choose the response with the higher number on the 0-3 scale. For example if you think 2 and 3 are equally representative of your condition, choose statement 3. Lastly, item 16 (changes in sleeping pattern) and item 18 (changes in appetite) are rated on a seven-point scale instead of the normal four-point scale. However, these items are not given any more weight than the others when calculating your results.

Try to administer the test in a distraction-free environment. When you take or administer the test, make sure to do it in a quiet room. You should give the test your undivided attention. Take care of any needs (bathroom, snack, etc.) before the test. Give yourself ample time to complete the test--don’t rush through it. Take it when you feel well enough to concentrate on your responses. Don’t take the test if you’re distracted by a headache or stomach ache, etc.

Administering and Scoring the Test

Try to answer as accurately as you can. Carefully read each question and make sure you understand what’s being asked. Always try to give the answer that most closely matches your condition over the past two weeks. Because you can only choose a single item out of four statements, try to judge your emotions, feelings, or behaviors as precisely as possible.

Score the items. Simply add up all the ratings to get your score. For example, if you have circled 0 on the first item and 3 on second, you’ll add them to get a score of 3 for the first two items. Proceed in the same manner for the rest of items until you have added the results for all 21 items. Note down your total score. It will fall in between the range of 0 to 63.

Assess your score. There are no arbitrary cutoff points for diagnosing each category of depression. However, there are ranges of scores which indicate the particular category of depression a person is passing through. Once you have calculated your total score, simply compare your score with the following categories: Score of 0 to 13: no depression Score of 14 to 19: mild depression Score of 20 to 28: moderate depression Score of 29 to 63: severe depression

Keep track of your depression. If you have previously been diagnosed with depression, the Beck Depression Inventory can be used on a weekly basis to check on your progress, especially if you have begun therapy and started taking medications. This is very helpful for the following reasons: You can identify any changes in your emotional state. You can identify the areas where depression is still high, such as if you still have difficulty sleeping or have thoughts about suicide. Once you have identified the areas that are still causing a problem, you can start working to improve them with the help of your therapist. Regularly checking in with your progress helps to give you motivation for further change.