Is the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) sensitive to change of depressive symptoms through time or is it only to be used as a screening tool?
It appears this tool should be used at intervals, like the PHQ 9. (Like admission and discharge, for example, or at each patient visit...). It could measure change over time only by comparison with a previously filled out one.
Patient’s Name:
Date:
Instructions: Choose the best answer for how you felt over the past week. Note: when asking the patient to complete the form, provide the self-rated form (included on the following page).
No. Question
Answer
Score
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 new things?
YES / NO
10. Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most people?
YES / NO
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive?
YES / NO
12. Do you feel pretty 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
(Sheikh & Yesavage, 1986)
Scoring:
Answers indicating depression are in bold and italicized; score one point for each one selected. A score of 0 to 5 is normal. A score greater than 5 suggests depression.
Sources:
•
Sheikh JI, Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a shorter version. Clin Gerontol. 1986 June;5(1/2):165-173.
•
Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1988;24(4):709-711.
•
Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982-83;17(1):37-
Dear Jutta Eschle
I have review the abstracts of the papers you kindly handed me. Unfortunately, all of them evaluated the scale as a screening instrument and neither as an instruments to measure change over time. By any change, do you have a reference that adressed this psychometric property?
All the best.
They cannot measure change over time.
By comparing the screenings done at different times/intervals you can determine what changes have/ have not occurred.
Thank you
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