Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)
Psychology: Mental HealthReliability: alpha 0.863 sample items
About this scale
A 15-item Yes/No screener for depression in older adults. Avoids somatic items that confound depression and aging-related symptoms.
Sample item(s)
“Are you basically satisfied with your life? (reverse)”
“Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?”
“Do you often feel helpless?”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alpha 0.86. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Free for academic use.
Source & citation
Sheikh, J. I., & Yesavage, J. A. (1986): Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): Recent evidence and development of a shorter version. Clinical Gerontologist, Vol. 5, No. 1–2, pp. 165–173.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
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