CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

The CES-D is a 20-item validated measure of depressive symptom frequency over the past week. Score 0–60; cutoff ≥16 for significant depression. Originally developed at NIMH for population-level research. Free for clinical and research use.

What is the CES-D?

The CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) was developed by Lenore Radloff at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in 1977. Originally designed for use in population surveys rather than individual clinical evaluation, it has since become widely used in both epidemiological research and clinical screening contexts. It measures the frequency of depressive symptoms experienced during the past week.

The 20 items cover four domains: depressed affect, positive affect (reverse-scored), somatic and retarded activity, and interpersonal difficulties. Each item is rated on a frequency scale from 0 (Rarely/None of the time) to 3 (Most or all of the time). Four positively worded items (4, 8, 12, 16) are reverse-scored before summing. Total scores range from 0 to 60.

A score of ≥16 indicates clinically significant depressive symptoms warranting further assessment. The CES-D is in the public domain and free for clinical and research use. It is particularly useful for its four-subscale structure, which can help distinguish between different aspects of the depressive syndrome.

Rate how often you felt each way during the past week.

Educational reference only. Cannot diagnose or replace clinical evaluation.

CES-D Score Interpretation

Radloff (1977). The ≥16 cutoff has been validated across diverse populations in community and clinical samples.

Systematic Depression Screening in HiBoop

CES-D alongside PHQ-9 and HAM-D, automated scoring and longitudinal tracking to monitor depression across your patient panel.