CES-D-10 Depression Screen | Free, Private, Instant | PsychKit™

CES-D-10 Depression Screen (Free and Anonymous) | PsychKit™

CES-D-10 Depression Screen

Ten questions about the past week. Free, private, instant result.

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This screen is for education and entertainment only. It is not medical or psychological advice. Screening is not a diagnosis. Only a licensed clinician can diagnose. Results stay on your device and you can save a link to your result.

During the past week, how often have you felt or behaved this way?

0 / 10

Select one option for each item.

Options used for each item: Rarely or none of the time (less than 1 day) Some or a little of the time (1-2 days) Occasionally or a moderate amount of time (3-4 days) Most of the time (5-7 days)
1) I was bothered by things that usually don’t bother me.
2) I had trouble keeping my mind on what I was doing.
3) I felt depressed.
4) I felt that everything I did was an effort.
5) I felt hopeful about the future.
6) I felt fearful.
7) My sleep was restless.
8) I was happy.
9) I felt lonely.
10) I could not “get going.”
Autosaves on this device

About this screen

  • CES-D-10 checks depressive symptoms during the past week.
  • Each item scores 0 to 3. Total is 0 to 30. Items 5 and 8 are reverse scored.
  • A total of 10 or more is a common positive screen threshold in many studies and programs.
  • This screen is not a diagnosis. Please speak with a licensed clinician for assessment and care.

CES-D-10 FAQ

What is CES-D-10?

It is a 10 item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. It screens for depressive symptoms over the past week and has strong evidence across many groups.

How is it scored?

Each question is 0 to 3. Items 5 and 8 are reverse scored. Scores add to 0 to 30. A total of 10 or more is often used to flag possible depression that needs follow up.

Is the CES-D-10 free to use?

Yes. The CES-D family is in the public domain. You can use it with proper citation. We reproduce items verbatim and credit the authors.

Do you store my answers or results?

No. Answers are saved only in your browser (localStorage). The share link encodes your result in the URL hash on your device. Nothing is stored on PsychKit servers, so heavy traffic does not add server storage load.

What if my score is 10 or higher?

Please consider a full review with a licensed clinician. If you feel unsafe, use the helpline panel at the top or contact local emergency services.

Can I skip items?

For best accuracy, answer all items. Some guidelines allow up to two missing responses, but we require complete answers to keep results clear.

References and credits

  1. Andresen EM, Malmgren JA, Carter WB, Patrick DL. Screening for depression in well older adults: evaluation of a short form of the CES-D. Am J Prev Med. 1994;10(2):77-84. Cutoff of 10 recommended for CES-D-10.
  2. CES-D-10 items and scoring: Recovery Research Institute handout. Items 5 and 8 reverse scored. Range 0 to 30.
  3. Public domain status of CES-D and CES-D-10 noted by ePROVIDE and APA resources.
  4. Further validity and cutoff evidence: Fu et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2012; Amtmann et al., 2014.
  5. Helpline numbers verified from official providers: Samaritans UK and Ireland, TelefonSeelsorge Germany, Lifeline Australia, 1737 New Zealand, SOS Singapore, UAE 800 HOPE. Numbers can change. Verify locally before calling.

Instrument items © original authors. Reproduced verbatim as permitted. No endorsement by any organization is implied.

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