I agree with your contribution on using tools such as PHQ-9 or the Beck Inventory scale
for assessment and treatment of MDD. Many clinicians prefer to use a patient self-rated
scale such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, protected by copyright and requiring
permission and payment of a fee to reproduce). The BDI-II is a 21-item self-report
measure of the severity of depressive symptoms. It has high sensitivity and specificity
and is valid and reliable in assessing the severity of depressive symptoms. Among its
shortcomings are its high item difficulty (requires the patient to be able to read and
understand the questions) and poor discriminant validity against anxiety (Reynolds &
Kamphaus, 2015).
The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the most extensively used and
validated instrument, is available in a variety of formats, including clinician- and self-
reported forms, as well as a computer-administered version. Some versions are now in
the public domain, while others are still protected by copyright. The clinician-
administered versions are commonly used in clinical trials to assess therapy response.
Still, they require training and take 20 to 30 minutes, making them less practical for busy
family physicians (Hirschfeld et al., 2017).
References
Hirschfeld RM, Williams JB, Spitzer RL, (2017). Development and validation of a
screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder
Questionnaire.8Am J Psychiatry. 2017;157(11):1873–1875.
Reynolds, C.R., & Kamphaus, R.W. (2015).8Behavior assessment system for
children8(3rd ed.). Bloomington, Minnesota: Pearson Assessments.
