Depressed or Just Blue? The Persuasive Effects of a Self-Diagnosis Inventory1

A self-diagnosis inventory is both a response instrument and a tool for an individual to assess his or her risk. Three experiments show that the manner in which a depression selfdiagnosis inventory is administered and constructed affects the manner in which a respondent interprets behavioral symptoms. This in turn affects (a) self-reports of whether the symptoms apply to the respondent; (b) the respondent’s perceived risk of depression; (c) the perceived controllability of the behavioral symptoms; and (d) the respondent’s likelihood of seeking treatment. Theoretical implications of the content and format of selfdiagnosis inventories are discussed, as are implications for how to persuade people to seek assistance when they are at risk.