Lakeside Psychology & Counseling Services

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

Introduction:

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was developed in the UK to screen women for postpartum (postnatal) depression. It is quick and easy to take. The scale has been used in research on postpartum depression and it is considered accurate. However, its use depends on the mother being honest about her own feelings.

Lakeside Psychology and Counseling Services is making this computer-scored version available for women to take online. We offer experienced, compassionate staff to help depressed moms get back to normal as soon as possible. For more information, call Dr. Alison Brett at (847) 604-9441. Click here for more about postpartum depression.

Note: Users may reproduce the EPDS scale without further permission providing they respect the copyright (which remains with the British Journal of Psychiatry) by quoting the names of the authors, the title, and the source of the paper in all reproduced copies. The citation is at the bottom of this page. Please contact the authors of the scale for more information about use in research.

Instructions:

As you have recently had a baby, we would like to know how you are feeling.
Please answer the following 10 questions by clicking the circle near the answer that best represents how you have felt in the past 7 days - Not just how you feel today.

Example:
example
This would mean: "I have felt happy most of the time during the past week".
Please complete the other questions in the same manner.

You may take the EPDS at any point before or after the baby is born. The developers of the scale recommend taking it at 6-10 weeks post delivery. It is OK to take it repeatedly; some doctors have women take it once before delivery, a few days after delivery, and then 6 weeks later.
All 10 questions need to be answered to properly calculate score.
The mother should complete the scale alone. Having your husband/partner or family members in the room has been shown to affect results.

Questions

1. I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things -
As much as I always could
Not quite so much now
Definitely not so much now
Not at all

2. I have looked forward with enjoyment to things -
As much as I ever did
Rather less than I used to
Definitely less than I used to
Hardly at all

3. I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong -
Yes, most of the time
Yes, some of the time
Not very often
No, never

4. I have been anxious or worried for no good reason -
No, not at all
Hardly ever
Yes, sometimes
Yes, very often

5. I have felt scared or panicky for no good reason -
Yes, quite a lot
Yes, sometimes
No, not much
No, not at all

6. Things have been getting on top of me -
Yes, most of the time I haven't been able to cope at all
Yes, sometimes I haven't been coping as well as usual
No, most of the time I have coped quite well
No, I have been coping as well as ever

7. I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping -
Yes, most of the time
Yes, sometimes
No, not very often
No, not at all

8. I have felt sad or miserable -
Yes, most of the time
Yes, quite often
No, not very often
No, not at all

9. I have been so unhappy that I have been crying -
Yes, most of the time
Yes, quite often
No, only occasionally
No, never

10. The thought of harming myself has occurred to me -
Yes, quite often
Sometimes
Hardly ever
Never

Your name:

Baby's age (in days, weeks or months):

Cox, J.L., Holden, J.M. & Sagovsky, R. (198). Detection of postnatal depression:: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150,782-876.