THE CENTER FOR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES-DEPRESSION (CES-D) SCALE: ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION IN THE MEDICALLY ILL ELDERLY

✍ Scribed by REBECCA L. SCHEIN; HAROLD G. KOENIG

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 146 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199704)12:4<436::aid-gps499>3.0.co;2-m

✦ Synopsis

This study examines the use of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) in a sample of elderly, medically ill inpatients. Seventy-six individuals completed the CES-D and a psychiatric interview, from which DSM-III-R diagnoses of depression were obtained. Analyses of sensitivity and speci®city indicated that use of an alternative scoring method which more closely approximates current diagnostic criteria for depression may improve the predictive power of the test. Employment of stringent cut-scores was not supported, as sensitivity was compromised. Item analyses demonstrated that seven of the CES-D items failed to discriminate major, minor and nondepressed patients, and that several of these items tapped somatic symptoms. These ®ndings suggest that the validity of the CES-D may be compromised when used with elderly medical patients, and modi®cations for its use are recommended.