Important Disclaimer
This screening tool is for educational and self-awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately by calling or texting 988.
What This Assessment Measures
- Sadness and dysphoria
- Loss of interest and anhedonia
- Appetite and weight changes
- Sleep disturbances
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
- Concentration and thinking difficulties
- Suicidal ideation
20
Questions
5–8
Minutes
100%
Confidential
The 20 Questions
Every question is answered on the same scale: Not at all or less than 1 day, 1–2 days, 3–4 days, 5–7 days, Nearly every day for 2 weeks.
- My appetite was poor
- I could not shake off the blues
- I had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing
- I felt depressed
- My sleep was restless
- I felt sad
- I could not get going
- Nothing made me happy
- I felt like a bad person
- I lost interest in my usual activities
- I slept much more than usual
- I felt like I was moving too slowly
- I felt fidgety
- I wished I were dead
- I wanted to hurt myself
- I was tired all the time
- I did not like myself
- I lost a lot of weight without trying to
- I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep
- I could not focus on the important things
About the CESD-R
The original CES-D was developed by Lenore Radloff at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in 1977. The revised version (CESD-R) was developed by William Eaton and colleagues to update the scale to reflect current DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder.
The CESD-R is unique among depression measures because it was originally designed for use in epidemiologic studies of the general population rather than clinical settings. This makes it particularly well-suited for community screening and public health applications. It has been translated into numerous languages and validated across diverse cultural groups.
Each item asks about symptom frequency over the past two weeks, rated on a 5-point scale. The CESD-R assesses nine symptom groups corresponding to the DSM-5 criteria: sadness, loss of interest, appetite, sleep, thinking/concentration, guilt, fatigue, agitation/retardation, and suicidal ideation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CESD-R?+
The CESD-R (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised) is a 20-item self-report measure of depressive symptoms. Originally developed by NIMH for population-based research, the revised version aligns with current DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder.
How is the CESD-R different from the PHQ-9?+
The PHQ-9 has 9 items scored 0-3 (max 27) and directly maps to DSM criteria. The CESD-R has 20 items scored 0-4 (max 80) and provides more granular assessment of symptom frequency including a 'nearly every day for 2 weeks' option that directly reflects DSM duration criteria.
What time period does the CESD-R cover?+
The CESD-R asks about symptoms experienced during the past two weeks (14 days), consistent with the DSM-5 duration criteria for major depressive episode.
What is the clinical cutoff score?+
A total score of 16 or higher suggests possible clinical significance and warrants further evaluation. Scores of 16-23 suggest subthreshold symptoms, while scores above 24 suggest possible or probable major depression.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- Radloff LS. The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl Psychol Meas. 1977;1(3):385-401.
- Eaton WW, Smith C, Ybarra M, et al. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: Review and revision (CESD and CESD-R). In: Maruish ME, ed. The Use of Psychological Testing for Treatment Planning. 3rd ed. 2004:363-377.
- Van Dam NT, Earleywine M. Validation of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale—Revised (CESD-R). Psychiatry Res. 2011;190(2-3):402-411.
- Vilagut G, Forero CG, Barbaglia G, Alonso J. Screening for depression in the general population with the CES-D. PLoS One. 2016;11(5):e0155431.