BDI-II Beck Depression Inventory

About the BDI-II

The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is a 21-item self-report measure designed to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. It was developed by Aaron T. Beck and first published in 1961, with the revised version (BDI-II) released in 1996.

The BDI-II is one of the most widely used psychological tests for measuring depression severity and is considered a gold standard in depression assessment.

Symptoms Assessed

• Sadness and mood
• Pessimism and hopelessness
• Sense of failure
• Loss of pleasure and interest
• Guilt and self-blame
• Self-criticism and self-dislike
• Suicidal ideation
• Crying
• Agitation
• Indecisiveness
• Worthlessness
• Fatigue and energy loss
• Sleep disturbances
• Irritability
• Appetite changes
• Concentration difficulties
• Loss of interest in sex

Applications

• Clinical screening for depression
• Monitoring treatment progress
• Research on depression
• Assessing severity of depressive episodes
• Evaluating response to antidepressant medication

References

• Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4(6), 561-571.
• Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (1996). Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.
• Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., Ball, R., & Ranieri, W. F. (1996). Comparison of Beck Depression Inventories-IA and -II in psychiatric outpatients. Journal of Personality Assessment, 67(3), 588-597.