The sensitivity of the Beck depression inventory to changes of symptomatology.

Despite the popularity of the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., i@6i), only Salkind (i@6g) has attempted to validate this instrument for a general practice population. For some purposes, particularly clinical research, measurement of change in a depressive mood is more important than an absolute measure. So far only Little and McPhail (i@@@) have considered this aspect of use. As part of a larger survey into depression seen in general practice, 73 consecutive patients presenting to their doctor with a new episode ofdepressive illness were interviewed on three separate occasions—within 7 days, 4-6 weeks later, and after i6—i8 weeks (Johnson, 1973). At each interview a clinical rating was made of the patients illness and a Beck Dc pression Inventory (B.D.I.) completed; at the second and third interviews a symptom change rating (five point scale) was recorded.