Beck Depression Test

Dr. Beck is University Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He's a research psychiatrist renowned for his research and development of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and the view that depression and most mood or emotional disorders should be treated for distorted thought patterns. This was a radically different viewpoint from the prevailing Freudian one that depression stems from deep, unconscious or suppressed hostility toward oneself. Beck came up with 3 areas to look at in thought patterns. They are the clients thoughts about the world, about the future, about themselves.

The 3 thought areas represented by the following statements
• I am less interested in other people or things than I was before.
• I feel my future is hopeless and will only get worse.
• I feel like an utter failure.

Even though the Beck Depression Test or Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) is based on the cognitive, or thought based viewpoint as the cause of depression, it is designed to closely match the official diagnostic requirements of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-IV-TR , a handbook that mental health professionals use to diagnose mental disorders). In other words it focuses on the symptoms, not the cause of depression. Its accuracy has been extensively tested.

The Beck Depression Inventory now consists of 21 questions designed to test symptoms in 3 areas: Physical, Emotional, Thoughts, Behavioral. The questions are actually groups of statements that the client marks as most closely describes their life in the previous 2 weeks. The statements touch on things such as hopelessness, guilt, fatigue, concentration

The Beck Depression test is 'graded' on a scale to determine one of 4 levels of severity: none; mild; moderate; severe. It should be administered and graded by a trained professional. Dr. Beck himself warns users of his test not to base diagnoses on the test alone. Because of the physical aspects tested, illness can greatly skew the results. Also the client can under report or over report his symptoms depending on how he is feeling at the time of the test.

To show the whole test here would be a violation of copyright laws. But I can show an excerpt with appropriate credit:

1. Sadness