Abstract
The present study developed new clinical cutoffs for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) with 59 older adult psychiatric outpatients. Maximum discrimination of a current major depressive episode resulted, with cutoff scores of 22 for the BDI and 16 for the GDS. Specifically, the following validity scores emerged for the BDI: sensitivity, 64%; specificity, 73%; positive predictive power, 75%; negative predictive power, 61%; and hit rate 68%. For the GDS the validity scores were as follows: sensitivity, 79%; specificity, 69%; positive predictive power, 77%; negative predictive power, 72%; and hit rate, 75%. Combined BDI and GDS scores did not result in improved prediction of a current major depressive episode as compared to the GDS alone. These results support the notion that the BDI and GDS are valid quick screening instruments in discriminating a current major depressive episode for older adult psychiatric outpatients.
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Kogan, E.S., Kabacoff, R.I., Hersen, M. et al. Clinical cutoffs for the beck Depression inventory and the Geriatric Depression scale with older adult psychiatric outpatients. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 16, 233–242 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02229210
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02229210