Geriatric Depression Scale (short form)
Instructions: | Circle the answer that best describes how you felt over the past week. | ||
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? | yes | no | |
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? | yes | no | |
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? | yes | no | |
4. Do you often get bored? | yes | no | |
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? | yes | no | |
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? | yes | no | |
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? | yes | no | |
8. Do you often feel helpless? | yes | no | |
9. Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing things? | yes | no | |
10. Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most? | yes | no | |
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? | yes | no | |
12. Do you feel worthless the way you are now? | yes | no | |
13. Do you feel full of energy? | yes | no | |
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? | yes | no | |
15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are? | yes | no | |
Total Score |
Scoring Instructions
Instructions: Score 1 point for each bolded answer. A score of 5 or more suggests depression.
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? | yes | no |
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and | ||
interests? | yes | no |
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? | yes | no |
4. Do you often get bored? | yes | no |
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? | yes | no |
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to | ||
happen to you? | yes | no |
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? | yes | no |
8. Do you often feel helpless? | yes | no |
9. Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going | ||
out and doing things? | yes | no |
10. Do you feel that you have more problems with memory than most? | yes | no |
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now? | yes | no |
12. Do you feel worthless the way you are now? | yes | no |
13. Do you feel full of energy? | yes | no |
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? | yes | no |
15. Do you think that most people are better off than | ||
you are? | yes | no |
A score of > 5 suggests depression Total Score |
Ref. Yes average: The use of Rating Depression Series in the Elderly, in Poon (ed.): Clinical Memory Assessment of Older Adults, American Psychological Association, 1986