Clinician or parent? Hand your device over with the score hidden, or send the test to their phone.
20 questions · about 5–8 minutes
For each one, pick the answer that fits you best over the past two weeks. There are no right or wrong answers.
Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to email the results. This screening tool is for educational and self-awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately by calling or texting 988.
- Questions
- 20
- Time
- 5–8 min
- Looks back over
- The past two weeks
- Score range
- 0–80
- Cost
- Free
What the CESD-R measures
- Sadness and dysphoria
- Loss of interest and anhedonia
- Appetite and weight changes
- Sleep disturbances
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
- Concentration and thinking difficulties
- Suicidal ideation
About the CESD-R
The original CES-D was developed by Lenore Radloff at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in 1977. The revised version (CESD-R) was developed by William Eaton and colleagues to update the scale to reflect current DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder.
The CESD-R is unique among depression measures because it was originally designed for use in epidemiologic studies of the general population rather than clinical settings. This makes it particularly well-suited for community screening and public health applications. It has been translated into numerous languages and validated across diverse cultural groups.
Each item asks about symptom frequency over the past two weeks, rated on a 5-point scale. The CESD-R assesses nine symptom groups corresponding to the DSM-5 criteria: sadness, loss of interest, appetite, sleep, thinking/concentration, guilt, fatigue, agitation/retardation, and suicidal ideation.
How the CESD-R is scored
- Every question is answered on the same scale, from "Not at all or less than 1 day" (0 points) to "Nearly every day for 2 weeks" (4 points).
- The answers are added together for a total from 0 to 80.
- For example, answering "1–2 days" to all 20 questions gives 1 × 20 = 20, which falls in the Subthreshold Depression range.
CESD-R score ranges
The ranges this quiz uses to label a score. They describe where a score falls, not a diagnosis.
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| No Clinical Significance | 0–15 |
| Subthreshold Depression | 16–23 |
| Possible Major Depressive Episode | 24–39 |
| Probable Major Depressive Episode | 40–59 |
| Major Depressive Episode | 60–80 |
How to read the results
- It is a snapshot, not a diagnosis. The score describes the past two weeks, and a label only says where that falls compared with the people the questionnaire was tested on. A word like "mild" does not mean a mild disorder.
- Look at the answers, not only the total. Which questions scored highest often says more about what to work on than the number does.
- Compare with yourself over time. Taking it again in a few weeks, or after starting therapy, shows whether things are moving. Compare each score with your own earlier one, not with someone else's.
- Talk it through. A clinician will ask what no questionnaire can: how long it has been like this, what else is going on, and how much it gets in the way.
- The safety question counts on its own. Questions 14 and 15 ask about thoughts of death or self-harm. Any answer above the lowest matters whatever the total, and is worth raising with a professional straight away. If you are having those thoughts now, call or text 988.
The CESD-R compared with similar tests
| Test | Screens for | Questions | Looks back over | Asks about suicide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHQ-9 | Depression | 9 | The past two weeks | Yes |
| EPDS | Depression in pregnancy and after birth | 10 | The past seven days | Yes |
| CESD-R (this page) | Depression, as a community screen | 20 | The past two weeks | Yes |
| HAM-D | Depression, including physical symptoms | 17 | The past week | Yes |
| MADRS | Depression, and how it changes in treatment | 10 | The past week | Yes |
| GAD-7 | Generalized anxiety | 7 | The past two weeks | No |
| OCI-R | Obsessions and compulsions | 18 | The past month | No |
| HAM-A | Anxiety, including physical symptoms | 14 | The past week | No |
| DASS-21 | Depression, anxiety and stress, scored separately | 21 | The past week | No |
Using the CESD-R with clients
- Baseline, then repeat. Give it at intake, then at regular intervals, and compare each score with the client's own earlier ones to see whether treatment is working.
- Hand to client. Give it on your own device in session. The questions fill the screen with nothing else on it, and the scores stay hidden until you take the device back and press Show results.
- Send to someone. Send a link before the session by text or email. Tick "Ask for a copy of their results" and their results page offers to email you their score. They decide whether to send it. Your address travels in the link itself and never reaches our servers.
- Copy summary and Print. The results screen copies a one-line summary for the session note, or prints the results on their own.
- Nothing is stored. Answers stay in the browser. Results leave it only when someone chooses to email them, and that email is not kept.
- Billing. Giving and scoring a standardized instrument like the CESD-R is commonly billed as CPT 96127, one unit per instrument. Payers set their own limits, so check before relying on it.
Diagnosis codes often documented for this concern
For reference only. A screening score is not a diagnosis, and none of these follows from a score on its own.
- F32.0 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Mild
- F32.1 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Moderate
- F32.2 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Severe
- F32.3 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Severe with Psychotic Features
- F32.9 Major Depressive Disorder, Single Episode, Unspecified
- F33.0 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Mild
- F33.1 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Moderate
- F33.2 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe
- F33.3 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Severe with Psychotic Features
- F33.9 Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Unspecified
- F34.1 Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
- F43.21 Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
Where to go from here
- Depression Therapy at Crown Counseling · in Brooklyn and online across New York
- Free resources for therapists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CESD-R?+
The CESD-R (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised) is a 20-item self-report measure of depressive symptoms. Originally developed by NIMH for population-based research, the revised version aligns with current DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder.
How is the CESD-R different from the PHQ-9?+
The PHQ-9 has 9 items scored 0-3 (max 27) and directly maps to DSM criteria. The CESD-R has 20 items scored 0-4 (max 80) and provides more granular assessment of symptom frequency including a 'nearly every day for 2 weeks' option that directly reflects DSM duration criteria.
What time period does the CESD-R cover?+
The CESD-R asks about symptoms experienced during the past two weeks (14 days), consistent with the DSM-5 duration criteria for major depressive episode.
What is the clinical cutoff score?+
A total score of 16 or higher suggests possible clinical significance and warrants further evaluation. Scores of 16-23 suggest subthreshold symptoms, while scores above 24 suggest possible or probable major depression.
Are my responses stored?+
No. All responses remain completely private and local to your browser. No data is collected, stored, or transmitted to any server.
References
- Radloff LS. The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl Psychol Meas. 1977;1(3):385-401.
- Eaton WW, Smith C, Ybarra M, et al. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale: Review and revision (CESD and CESD-R). In: Maruish ME, ed. The Use of Psychological Testing for Treatment Planning. 3rd ed. 2004:363-377.
- Van Dam NT, Earleywine M. Validation of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale—Revised (CESD-R). Psychiatry Res. 2011;190(2-3):402-411.
- Vilagut G, Forero CG, Barbaglia G, Alonso J. Screening for depression in the general population with the CES-D. PLoS One. 2016;11(5):e0155431.