When depression is suspected, the psychiatric department uses various tests and assessment tools for an accurate diagnosis.
The most commonly used accurate depression test is as follows.
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Psychological assessment (interview): Evaluates current emotional state, symptoms, and lifestyle patterns through consultation with a psychiatrist. This is the most important part, where the doctor listens to the patient's story directly and makes a judgment.
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PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9): A standard questionnaire for diagnosing depression, which assesses emotional state and symptoms over the past two weeks through nine items. The severity of depression can be determined based on the score.
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BDI (Beck Depression Inventory): Another questionnaire used to assess the severity of depression, measuring feelings of depression, guilt, fatigue, and other symptoms through 21 questions.
An accurate depression test is not solely based on questionnaire scores, but also on,
A comprehensive diagnosis is made in conjunction with consultation from a specialist.
Consultation with a specialist is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
