Hamilton Depression Rating Scale:

Hamilton Depression rating scale:

(Consult a psychiatrist for advice.)

The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS or HAM-D) is one of the most widely used clinician-administered depression assessment tools. Developed by Max Hamilton in 1960, it’s primarily used to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in individuals already diagnosed with depression.

Purpose:

To quantify the severity of depression in adults and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment over time.

 Structure:

The original version includes 17 items (HDRS-17), though extended versions can have up to 21 or 24 items.

Each item is scored by the clinician based on the patient’s symptoms over the past week.

 Scoring:

Each item is rated on either a 3-point or 5-point scale:

0 = Absent

Higher scores indicate greater severity.

Common Items Include:

Depressed mood

Feelings of guilt

Suicide ideation

Insomnia (early, middle, late)

Work and activities

Psychomotor agitation or retardation

Anxiety (psychic and somatic)

Somatic symptoms (gastrointestinal, general)

Hypochondriasis

Loss of weight

Insight

Interpretation (HDRS-17 Total Score):

Score Range Depression Severity0–7Normal (no depression)8–13Mild depression14–18Moderate depression19–22Severe depression≥23Very severe depression

 Notes:

Requires a trained clinician to administer.

Subject to inter-rater variability if not standardized.

Best used in conjunction with clinical judgment and other diagnostic tools.

Shervan K Shahhian