A Trial Production of Self-Rating Depression Scale (3)

We have been working to make a better Self-Rating Depression Scale (SRDS). As the third step in making such a SRDS, we analyzed two new SRDSs named ”RS 21” and ”RS22”, both which we reported before. Then, we chose sixteen items from RS 21 and RS 22 which highly correlated with the scores obtained in the Hamilton's Rating Scale (HRS) -(the correlation coefficients were greater than 0.5) and we made another new SRDS (RS 16). Next we examined 214 out-patients using the RS16, the worldwide accepted Zung,s SRDS (SDS) and the HRS as well. The results were as follows : 1. THe RS16 scores correlated better with the HRS scores than did the scores of SDS. 2. The ability of the RS16 Scale to distinguish depressed patients from other patients was of the same caliber as that of the SDS. 3. The ratios of non-answered items were the same in RS16 and SDS. 4. The scores of mildly depressed patients were widely distributed. These results suggested that RS 16 was as valid and reliable as SDS. In order to distinguish depressed patients from other patients more clearly, the determination of relevant weights for each item and pertinent cutoff-points may be required.