Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS)

Rates depression symptoms via self-assessment

Sleep (calculation uses highest score from items 1-4)

1. Sleep Onset Insomnia:

Never takes longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep.

Takes at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, less than half the time.

Takes at least 30 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.

Takes more than 60 minutes to fall asleep, more than half the time.

2. Mid-Nocturnal Insomnia:

Does not wake up at night.

Restless, light sleep with few awakenings

Wakes up at least once a night, but goes back to sleep easily.

Awakens more than once a night and stays awake for 20 minutes or more, more than half the time.

3. Early Morning Insomnia:

Less than half the time, awakens no more than 30 minutes before necessary.

More than half the time, awakens more than 30 minutes before need be.

Awakens at least one hour before need be, more than half the time.

Awakens at least two hours before need be, more than half the time.

4. Hypersomnia:

Sleeps no longer than 7-8 hours/night, without naps.

Sleeps no longer than 10 hours in a 24 hour period (including naps).

Sleeps no longer than 12 hours in a 24 hour period (including naps).

Sleeps longer than 12 hours in a 24 hour period (including naps).

Mood

5. Mood (Sad):

Does not feel sad.

Feels sad less than half the time.

Feels sad more than half the time.

Feels intensely sad virtually all the time.

Weight (calculation uses highest score from items 6-9)

6. Appetite (Decreased):

No change from usual appetite.

Eats somewhat less often and/or lesser amounts than usual.

Eats much less than usual and only with personal effort.

Eats rarely within a 24-hour period, and only with extreme personal effort or with persuasion by others.

7. Appetite (Increased):

No change from usual appetite.

More frequently feels a need to eat than usual.

Regularly eats more often and/or greater amounts than usual.

Feels driven to overeat at and between meals.

8. Weight (Decrease) Within The Last Two Weeks:

Has experienced no weight change.

Feels as if some slight weight loss occurred.

Has lost 2 pounds or more.

Has lost 5 pounds or more.

9. Weight (Increase) Within the Last Two Weeks:

Has experienced no weight change.

Feels as if some slight weight gain has occurred.

Has gained 2 pounds or more.

Has gained 5 pounds or more.

Concentration

10. Concentration/Decision Making:

No change in usual capacity to concentrate and decide.

Occasionally feels indecisive or notes that attention often wanders.

Most of the time struggles to focus attention or make decisions.

Cannot concentrate well enough to read or cannot make even minor decisions.

Guilt

11. Outlook (Self):

Sees self as equally worthwhile and deserving as others.

Is more self-blaming than usual.

Largely believes that he/she causes problems for others.

Ruminates over major and minor defects in self.

Suicidal Ideation

12. Suicidal Ideation:

Does not think of suicide or death.

Feels life is empty or is not worth living.

Thinks of suicide/death several times a week for several minutes.

Thinks of suicide/death several times a day in depth, or has made specific plans to commit or attempted suicide.

Interest

13. Involvement:

No change from usual level of interest in other people and activities.

Notices a reduction in former interests/activities.

Finds only one or two former interests remain.

Has virtually no interest in formerly pursued activities.

Fatigue

14. Energy/Fatiguability:

No change in usual level of energy.

Tires more easily than usual.

Makes significant personal effort to initiate or maintain usual daily activities.

Unable to carry out most of usual daily activities due to lack of energy.

Psychomotor Changes (calculation uses highest score from items 15-16)

15. Psychomotor Slowing:

Normal speed of thinking, gesturing, and speaking.

Notes slowed thinking, and voice modulation is reduced.

Takes several seconds to respond to most questions; reports slowed thinking.

Is largely unresponsive to most questions without strong encouragement.

16. Psychomotor Agitation:

No increased speed or disorganization in thinking or gesturing.

Fidgets, wrings hands, and shifts positions often.

Describes impulse to move about and displays motor restlessness.

Unable to stay seated; paces about with or without permission.

Interpretation

Source: Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Ibrahim HM, Carmody TJ, Arnow B, Klein DN, Markowitz JC, Ninan PT, Kornstein S, Manber R, Thase ME, Kocsis JH, Keller MB. The 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) Clinician Rating (QIDS-C) and Self-Report (QIDS-SR): A psychometric evaluation in patients with chronic major depression. Biological Psychiatry. 2003; 54:573-583.