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

Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) is a 20-item self-report depression inventory with possible scores ranging from 0 to 60. Each response to an item is scored as follows:

0 = “Not At All” 1 = “A Little” 2 = “Some” 3 = “A Lot”

However, items 4, 8, 12, and 16 are phrased positively, and thus are scored in the opposite order:
Higher CES-DC scores indicate increasing levels of depression. Weissman et al. (1980), the developers of the CES-DC, have used the cutoff score of 15 as being suggestive of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents.

Weissman MM, Orvaschel H, Padian N: Children’s symptom and social functioning self-report scales: Comparison of mothers’ and children’s reports. Journal of Nervous Mental Disorders 168(12):736–740; 1980.

Faulstich ME, Carey MP, Ruggiero L, et al.: Assessment of depression in childhood and adolescence: An evaluation of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DCAmerican Journal of Psychiatry143(8):1024–1027; 1986.
Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC)
INSTRUCTIONS
Below is a list of the ways you might have felt or acted. Please check how much you have felt this way during the past week.
DURING THE PAST WEEK
1. I was bothered by things that usually don’t bother me.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
2. I did not feel like eating, I wasn’t very hungry.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
3. I wasn’t able to feel happy, even when my family or friends tried to help me feel better.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
4. I felt like I was just as good as other kids.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
5. I felt like I couldn’t pay attention to what I was doing.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
6. I felt down and unhappy.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
7. I felt like I was too tired to do things.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
8. I felt like something good was going to happen.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
9. I felt like things I did before didn’t work out right.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
10. I felt scared.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
11. I didn’t sleep as well as I usually sleep.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
12. I was happy.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
13. I was more quiet than usual.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
14. I felt lonely, like I didn’t have any friends.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
15. I felt like kids I know were not friendly or that they didn’t want to be with me.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
16. I had a good time.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
17. I felt like crying.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
18. I felt sad.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
19. I felt people didn’t like me.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
20. It was hard to get started doing things.

Not At AllA LittleSomeA Lot
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Date:

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

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

INSTRUCTIONS

DURING THE PAST WEEK