GDS-15
Summary and structure
The GDS-15 is the short form of the Geriatric Depression Scale developed by Yesavage and colleagues. It was designed for older people and avoids somatic symptoms such as sleep or appetite problems, which are common in later life for reasons other than depression.
The 15 questions are answered with yes or no and refer to the past week. Each answer pointing to depression scores one point, so the total ranges from 0 to 15.
Cut-off scores are typically interpreted as follows:
0–4 = no indication of depression
5–8 = mild depressive symptoms
9–11 = moderate depressive symptoms
12–15 = severe depressive symptoms
A score of 5 or more is commonly used as the threshold for further assessment.
Key Data
Age group: Older adults (≥65 years)
Completion time: about 5 minutes
Languages in SwissDTx: English, German, French
Intended Use
The GDS-15 is used in geriatrics, primary care, rehabilitation, nursing homes and memory clinics to screen for depression and to follow its course. The simple yes/no format suits people with mild cognitive impairment.
Repeated at regular intervals, it shows whether mood improves during treatment or rehabilitation, which supports care decisions in blended care.
Information for Practitioners
The GDS-15 is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Results are less reliable in people with moderate to severe dementia.
In SwissDTx, the total score and severity band are calculated automatically and shown over time in the Care Cockpit. Every completion ends with a support card that lists emergency numbers.
Authors
Jerome A. Yesavage
Javaid I. Sheikh
Scientific References
Yesavage J.A., Brink T.L., Rose T.L., Lum O., Huang V., Adey M., & Leirer V.O. (1983). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17(1), 37–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(82)90033-4
Sheikh J.I., & Yesavage J.A. (1986). Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a shorter version. Clinical Gerontologist, 5(1–2), 165–173. https://doi.org/10.1300/J018v05n01_09
Licence
The Geriatric Depression Scale is in the public domain (Stanford University, partly developed with US federal support). German translation: P. Schett, University Hospital Innsbruck; French version: L. Israël, Grenoble.