Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form)
Patient’s Name: Date:
Instructions: Choose the best answer for how you felt over the past week. Note: when asking the
patient to complete the form, provide the self-rated form (included on the following page).
No. Question Answer Score
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? YES / NO
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? YES / NO
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? YES / NO
4. Do you often get bored? YES / NO
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? YES / NO
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? YES / NO
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? YES / NO
8. Do you often feel helpless? YES / NO
9. Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things? YES / NO
10. Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most people? YES / NO
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive? YES / NO
12. Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now? YES / NO
13. Do you feel full of energy? YES / NO
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? YES / NO
15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are? YES / NO
TOTAL
(Sheikh & Yesavage, 1986)
Scoring:
Answers indicating depression are in bold and italicized; score one point for each one selected. A score of 0 to 5
is normal. A score greater than 5 suggests depression.
Sources:
• Sheikh JI, Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a shorter
version. Clin Gerontol. 1986 June;5(1/2):165-173.
• Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1988;24(4):709-711.
• Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale:
a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982-83;17(1):37-49.
Geriatric Depression Scale (Short Form)
Self-Rated Version
Patient’s Name: Date:
Instructions: Choose the best answer for how you felt over the past week.
No. Question Answer Score
1. Are you basically satisfied with your life? YES / NO
2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests? YES / NO
3. Do you feel that your life is empty? YES / NO
4. Do you often get bored? YES / NO
5. Are you in good spirits most of the time? YES / NO
6. Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you? YES / NO
7. Do you feel happy most of the time? YES / NO
8. Do you often feel helpless? YES / NO
9. Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things? YES / NO
10. Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most people? YES / NO
11. Do you think it is wonderful to be alive? YES / NO
12. Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now? YES / NO
13. Do you feel full of energy? YES / NO
14. Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? YES / NO
15. Do you think that most people are better off than you are? YES / NO
TOTAL
(Sheikh & Yesavage, 1986)