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The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale in normals and depressives
Author(s) -
Fava G. A.,
Kellner R.,
Munari F.,
Pavan L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1982.tb00911.x
Subject(s) - rating scale , psychology , depression (economics) , research diagnostic criteria , hamilton rating scale for depression , clinical psychology , psychiatry , validation test , scale (ratio) , psychometrics , test validity , developmental psychology , major depressive disorder , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , mood , economics , macroeconomics , physics , quantum mechanics
The Hamilton Rating Scale for depression (HDRS) has become the standard observer rating scale for depression, yet there are no adequate data from normal samples. The present study was carried out in northern Italy. The purposes were 1) to examine the ratings in normals and 2) to examine the scale's validity in a different language and culture. The scale was used in 40 normals and 40 depressives who were matched. Two self‐rating scales of depression were administered: the Symptom Rating Test and the Symptom Questionnaire. The results show that the HDRS is a valid mea‐ sure in that it sensitively discriminates between depressed patients and normals. The findings support Hamilton's view that only the first 17 items of the scale are appropriate for computing the score. The use of self‐rating scales yielded additional information. The misclassification rate of the Symptom Rating Test was similar to that of the HDRS. The combined use of Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) and HDRS appears to be more reliable for the selection of depressed patients for research than the RDC only.