Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, CDSS Test - the question form
Questions: 9 · 2 minutes
1. Depression. Over the past 2 weeks, how have you been feeling in yourself: have you been reasonably cheerful, or have you been feeling depressed or low in spirits?
Absent.
Mild—expresses some sadness and feeling low.
Moderate—clearly depressed mood for up to half of the time over the past 2 weeks; present daily.
Severe—marked depressed mood, present daily for more than half of the time; interferes with normal physical and social functioning.
2. Hopelessness. How do you see your future? Can you imagine any future, or does life seem quite hopeless? Have you given up, or do you feel there is some reason to try to do something?
Absent
Mild – during the past week, feelings of hopelessness were present from time to time, but there is still some hope for the future.
Moderate – a persistent, moderately severe feeling of hopelessness during the past week. The patient can be persuaded that things may improve.
Severe – a persistent and distressing feeling of hopelessness.
3. Self-depreciation. How do you evaluate yourself compared with other people? Do you think you are better or worse, or about the same as most others? Do you feel inferior or even worthless?
Absent
Mild — feels somewhat inferior, but not to the point of feeling worthless.
Moderate — feels worthless, but less than 50% of the time.
Severe — feels worthless more than 50% of the time. Can be reassured.
4. Ideas of accusation. Have you felt that you are being blamed for something, or even that you are the victim of a false accusation? What about?
Absent
Mild — feels blamed but not accused, less than 50% of the time.
Moderate — persistently feels blamed and/or occasionally feels accused.
Severe — persistently feels accused. If reassured, acknowledges that this is not the case.
5. Pathological guilt. Do you tend to blame yourself for minor past faults or misdeeds? Do you feel this is a valid reason for concern?
Absent
Mild — Excessive guilt about some minor fault or misdeed, present less than 50% of the time.
Moderate — Usually (more than 50% of the time) feels guilty about past actions whose significance is exaggerated.
Severe — Usually blames self for everything that has gone wrong, even when it is not their fault.
6. Morning depression. Over the past two weeks, when you felt depressed, did you notice that your depression was worse at any particular time of day?
Absent.
Mild—depression is present but does not vary during the day.
Moderate—without prompting, the patient reports that depression is worse in the morning.
Severe—depression is markedly worse in the morning, with impaired functioning; improves in the latter part of the day.
7. Early morning awakening. Do you wake up in the morning earlier than is normal for you? How many times a week does this happen?
Absent
Mild—sometimes (up to two times a week) wakes 1 hour or more before the usual waking time or alarm.
Moderate—often (up to five times a week) wakes 1 hour or more before the usual waking time or alarm.
Severe—daily wakes 1 hour or more before the usual waking time.
8. Suicide. Have you felt that life is not worth living? Have you ever wanted to end your life? How did you want to do this? Have you ever tried to do this?
Absent
Mild – often thought it would be better to be dead, or occasionally thought about suicide.
Moderate – seriously thought about suicide and had a plan, but made no attempts.
Severe – a suicide attempt was arranged so that it should have resulted in death but was accidentally discovered, or ineffective means were used.
9. Observed depression (based on the interviewer’s observations throughout the interview).
Absent
Mild—the patient appears sad and gloomy even during emotionally neutral discussion of the interviewer’s questions.
Moderate—the patient appears sad and gloomy throughout the interview, speaks in a dull monotone voice, and at times cries or seems close to tears.
Severe—the patient becomes silent when discussing distressing topics, often sighs heavily, cries openly, or appears in a mournful, stuporous state.