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Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)

Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) Test

Understand current depression risk and symptom level in about 4 minutes. Built for teens and adults, it supports quick screening and easy progress tracking over time.

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Questions: 204 minutes

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08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

21955 views

4457 completions

1836 likes

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

25/60

Depression (D)

Measures the severity of depressive symptoms experienced over the past week in children and adolescents.

Low symptoms

Elevated symptoms

0 – 15: Low symptoms | 16 – 60: Elevated symptoms

A score of 25 falls in the Elevated symptoms range, indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms on this screening scale.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Teens feeling low

44%OF USERS

Teenagers who have felt sad, tired, or unmotivated lately use it to quickly check whether their recent symptoms may point to depression.

Parents and caregivers

33%OF USERS

Adults worried about a child’s mood or behavior take it to get a clearer picture of how the last week has been for them and whether follow-up support is needed.

School and clinic screening

23%OF USERS

School counselors, psychologists, and clinicians use it for fast screening and to track changes in symptoms over time when time is limited.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

What You’ll See After You Finish the Test

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

Your scores across each test scale, translated into plain, usable insights. Not just numbers, but what they actually mean for your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.

AI-Powered
Interpretation

A structured, clinically grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation — without alarmist language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how you compare to others. Your scores are placed in a statistical context, showing percentiles and trends based on anonymized platform data to help you understand what`s typical.

Practical
Recommendations

Actionable guidance tailored to your profile. Receive clear, realistic suggestions you can apply immediately — focused on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.

AI-Detected
Insights

Key patterns you might not notice on your own. Surfacing subtle connections in your responses that help you better understand what may be driving your current results.

Discuss with
an AI Psychologist

Clarify, reflect, and explore right away. Talk through your outcomes, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue environment.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you finish the test, your results will be compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of the benchmarks we use to place your score in context.

Depression Scale (DS)

Average

36.5

Normal range

28.6 — 44.5

min.

max.

majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear here so you can see where you land.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Any questions left?

What does this questionnaire measure?

It screens for depressive symptoms and estimates current risk level. It focuses on mood, sadness, energy, sleep, appetite, and related signs.

Who is this questionnaire intended for?

It is designed for adolescents starting around ages 10–11 and can also be used with adults. It is suitable for school, community, and clinical screening.

What time period do the questions cover?

Responses refer to how often each symptom occurred during the past week. This time frame supports repeat use to monitor change.

How long does it take and how many items are included?

It contains 20 items and typically takes about 4 minutes to complete. Items use a frequency-based response format.

How should results be interpreted?

Scores indicate symptom level and whether further evaluation may be needed; they do not provide a diagnosis. Elevated scores should prompt follow-up assessment or referral when clinically appropriate.

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) Test

depression

This measure is a brief self-report screening tool for depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is intended to support early identification of individuals who may benefit from further clinical evaluation.

The questionnaire asks respondents to rate how often symptoms were experienced over the past week, yielding a summary of current symptom burden. It contains 20 items and typically takes about 4 minutes to complete. Weissman, M. is cited as the author.

The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is commonly used in school, primary care, and outpatient settings to inform triage, monitoring over time, and referral decisions; it is not a standalone diagnostic instrument.

Author: Weissman, M.

Literature: Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Psychological Corporation. 1996.; Cicchetti, D., & Toth, S. L. Child maltreatment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. 2005.; Radloff, L. S. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement. 1977.; Achenbach, T. M., & Rescorla, L. A. Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles. University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth, & Families. 2001.

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