The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised - CESD-R

Technical Manual

Script Author: Katja Borchert, Ph.D. (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Created: January 31, 2020

Last Modified: January 03, 2025 by K. Borchert (katjab@millisecond.com), Millisecond

Script Copyright © Millisecond Software, LLC

Background

This script implements a computerized version of The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) - Revised (R)

References

Radloff LS. The CES-D scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement. 1977;1:385-401.

Eaton WW, Muntaner C, Smith C, Tien A, Ybarra M. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: Review and revision (CESD and CESD-R). In: Maruish ME, ed. The Use of Psychological Testing for Treatment Planning and Outcomes Assessment. 3rd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum; 2004:363-377.

https://cesd-r.com/about-cesdr/ From the webpage: "The CESD-R is in the public domain so it is free to use in your research."

Duration

2 minutes

Description

20 questions, 5-point Likert Scale, self-report

The 20 questions cover the following 9 domains of depression: Sadness(Dysphoria) Loss of Interest(Anhedonia) Appetite Sleep Thinking / concentration Guilt(Worthlessness) Tired(fatigue) Movement(Agitation) Suicidal ideation

Instructions

see section Editable Parameters

Scoring

General Scoring:
The questions are scored on a scale from 0 (not at all) - 4 (almost every day for 2 weeks)

Subscales Scoring:
Sadness(Dysphoria): Question numbers 2,4, 6
Loss of Interest(Anhedonia): Question numbers 8, 10
Appetite: Question numbers 1, 18
Sleep: Question numbers 5, 11, 19
Thinking / concentration: Question numbers 3, 20
Guilt(Worthlessness): Question numbers 9, 17
Tired(fatigue): Question numbers 7, 16
Movement(Agitation): Question numbers 12, 13
Suicidal ideation: Question numbers 14, 15"

Additional Summary Scores
For Summary Scores see https://cesd-r.com/about-cesdr/
It is advised to check that the implemented algorithm coincides with your understanding of the description

Summary Data

File Name: cesd_r_summary.iqdat' (Inquisit Lab: one data file per participant)

Data Fields

NameDescription
inquisit.version Inquisit version number
computer.platform Device platform: win | mac |ios | android
computer.touch 0 = device has no touchscreen capabilities; 1 = device has touchscreen capabilities
computer.hasKeyboard 0 = no external keyboard detected; 1 = external keyboard detected
startDate Date the session was run
startTime Time the session was run
subjectId Participant ID
groupId Group number
sessionId Session number
elapsedTime Session duration in ms
completed 0 = Test was not completed
1 = Test was completed
Determining Categories
noClinicalSignificance True (1): Participants scored less than 16 in expressions.CESD_RTotalscore1
false (0): otherwise
subthreshholdDepression True (1)= Participant scored at least 16 in expressions.CESD_RTotalscore1
but had 'false' (0) (did not qualify for) in expressions.PossibleMajorDepressiveEpisode
false (0)= otherwise
OR: "fullfills Criteria for a possible Major Depressive Episode"
possibleMajorDepressiveEpisode True (1) = Participant selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
to all Dysphoria and Anhedonia questions
as well as selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
Or second severe response ('5-7 days last week') in at least 2 other DSM symptom groups
false (0) = otherwise
probablyMajorDepressiveEpisode True (1): Participant selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
to all Dysphoria and Anhedonia questions
as well as selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
Or second severe response ('5-7 days last week') in at least 3 other DSM symptom groups
false (0) = otherwise
majorDepressiveEpisode True (1): Participant selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
to all Dysphoria and Anhedonia questions
as well as selected the most severe response ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
in at least 4 other DSM symptom groups
false (0) = otherwise
Total Scores
cesdRTotalScore1 Sum of responses to all 20 questions (on scale 0-4); Range: 0 - 80)
cesdRTotalScore2 Sum of responses to all 20 questions (on scale: 0, 1, 2, 3, 3); Range 0 - 60
this total score scores the last response option ('nearly every day for the last 2 weeks')
with a 3 to make the totalscore comparable to the original CESD score
Subscale Scores
dysphoria Sum of q2,4,6 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-12
anhedonia Sum of q8,10 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
appetite Sum of q1,18 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
sleep Sum of q5,11,19 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-12
concentration Sum of q3,20 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
guilt Sum of q9,17 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
tired Sum of q7,16 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
movement Sum of q12,13 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8
suicidalIdeation Sum of q14,15 (on scale 0-4), Range: 0-8

Raw Data

File Name: cesd_r.iqdat

Data Fields

NameDescription
date Date the session was run
time Time the session was run
subject Participant ID
group Group number
session Session number
build Inquisit version number
q*_response Response given (in assigned values)
Scale: 0 (not at all) - 4 (almost every day for 2 weeks)
q*_latency How much time (in ms) the participant spent on the surveyPage with this particular
question (the last time this particular surveyPage was visited)

Parameters

The procedure can be adjusted by setting the following parameters.

NameDescriptionDefault
pageInstructions The instructions that appear at the top of each surveyPage