While there are many instruments available to measure depression, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), first created by Yesavage, et al., has been tested and used extensively with the older population. The GDS Long Form is a brief, 30-item questionnaire in which participants are asked to respond by answering yes or no in reference to how they felt over the past week. A Short Form GDS consisting of 15 questions was developed in 1986. Questions from the Long Form GDS which had the highest correlation with depressive symptoms in validation studies were selected for the short version.
Choose the best answer for how you have felt over the past week.
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Are you basically satisfied with your life?
Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?
Do you feel that your life is empty?
Are you in good spirits most of the time?
. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?
Do you feel happy most of the time?
Do you often feel helpless?
Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?
Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?
Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?
Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?
Do you feel full of energy?
Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?
Do you think that most people are better off than you are?
