Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
What It Measures
The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is a short self-report questionnaire that measures how severe a person's depression symptoms currently are. The person reads 21 groups of four statements and picks the one in each group that best describes the past two weeks, including today.
Items cover both the thinking and feeling side of depression — sadness, pessimism, guilt, self-dislike, thoughts of suicide — and the physical side, such as changes in sleep, appetite, energy, and concentration. Each is scored 0 to 3 and summed for a total from 0 to 63, with published bands for minimal, mild, moderate, and severe. It measures severity and tracks change over time; it does not make a diagnosis, and one item asks directly about suicidal thoughts.
Further Reading
Additional Notes
Licensing Notes: Purchase is qualification-restricted and record forms are consumables. Pearson publishes separate telepractice guidance for remote administration.
Learn More: Item 9 asks directly about suicidal thoughts or wishes. Any practice using the BDI-II should have a plan in place for what happens when that item is endorsed, before administering it. Remember the score is not a diagnosis and anyone in distress should call 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
