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Instructions

Intended to screen for depression in older adults (ages 65 and older).

Answer based on how you have felt over the past week.

Are you basically satisfied with your life?

YesNo

Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)

The GDS-15 is a brief, self-administered screening tool used to detect depressive symptoms in older adults. It's the short form of the original 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale, designed specifically to avoid the somatic symptom overlap (fatigue, appetite change, sleep disturbance) that confounds general depression scales when used in older or medically ill populations, since those symptoms are common in aging and illness independent of depression.

Development

The original 30-item GDS was developed by Yesavage, Brink, and colleagues, published in 1982–1983. The 15-item short form was derived by Sheikh and Yesavage in 1986, selecting the items from the long form that correlated most strongly with depressive symptoms. The scale is in the public domain, as it was developed partly through federal support — no permission or fee is required to use it.

Format

15 questions, each answered Yes or No, based on how the person has felt over the past week
Takes about 5–7 minutes
Can be self-administered or read aloud — the binary yes/no format makes it accessible for people who struggle with graded (Likert-scale) response options, including those with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment
Deliberately excludes questions about sleep, appetite, or energy in the way broader depression scales include them

The 15 Items

#	Question	Depressive response
1	Are you basically satisfied with your life?	No
2	Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?	Yes
3	Do you feel that your life is empty?	Yes
4	Do you often get bored?	Yes
5	Are you in good spirits most of the time?	No
6	Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?	Yes
7	Do you feel happy most of the time?	No
8	Do you often feel helpless?	Yes
9	Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?	Yes
10	Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most people?	Yes
11	Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?	No
12	Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?	Yes
13	Do you feel full of energy?	No
14	Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?	Yes
15	Do you think that most people are better off than you are?	Yes

Scoring

Each item scores 1 point when answered in the depressive direction (as shown above) and 0 points otherwise. The 15 points are summed for a total score ranging from 0 to 15, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.

Ten items (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15) score a point on "Yes"; five items (1, 5, 7, 11, 13) are reverse-scored and score a point on "No." This deliberate mixing of response direction guards against acquiescence bias — a tendency to answer "yes" to everything — so a flat pattern of responses doesn't automatically produce an extreme score.

Two subscales are sometimes reported separately:

(Lack of) Positive Mood — items 1, 5, 7, 11, 13 (range 0–5)
Depressed Mood — items 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15 (range 0–10)

Cutoff Scores and Interpretation

There is no single universally mandated cutoff — validation studies across different populations and countries have found varying optimal thresholds (ranging from 3 to 10 depending on the population studied). That said, the most widely cited and commonly used cutoff is:

Score	Interpretation
0–4	Suggests normal / not depressed
5–8	Suggests mild depression
9–11	Suggest moderate depression
12–15	Suggests severe depression

Many sources simplify this to a single screening threshold of ≥5 suggesting possible depression, prompting further clinical evaluation.

For context on how this varies: a widely cited U.S. validation study (Friedman et al., 2005) found a cutoff of 5/6 gave 81% sensitivity and 75% specificity for major depression in cognitively intact, community-dwelling older primary care patients. Validation studies in other populations and languages have found different optimal cutoffs — for example, 5/6 in Brazilian outpatients (81% sensitivity, 71% specificity), and 6/7 in a Greek population (92% sensitivity, 95% specificity) — reflecting real variation by population, language, and clinical setting rather than a flaw in the tool itself.

A change of 2 points or more on repeat administration is generally considered a clinically meaningful change when tracking symptoms over time or in response to treatment.

Management Considerations

Perform a suicide risk assessment for patients with suspected depression, typically a GDS-15 score >4.
Rule out alternative diagnoses during the formal diagnostic evaluation.
Not intended as a diagnostic tool. Positive results necessitate further clinical evaluation.

Notes

This is a condensed version of the original 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Versions with 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 12 items have also been explored.
Studies show variability in the effectiveness of the GDS-15 among patients with significant cognitive impairment. Many validation studies have used cutoff Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of 10-15 or higher.

Important Limitations

It is a screening tool, not a diagnostic instrument. A high score indicates the need for further clinical evaluation, not a diagnosis of depression.
It does not assess suicidality directly. Item 14 ("Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?") touches on hopelessness, but risk of self-harm must be assessed separately and explicitly — a GDS-15 score alone should never be used to rule suicidal risk in or out.
Validity decreases with more severe cognitive impairment. It performs reasonably well in mild-to-moderate cognitive impairment but becomes less reliable as dementia severity increases.
Population-specific cutoffs vary, so the specific threshold used should ideally reflect validation data from a population similar to the one being assessed (e.g., separate cutoffs have been validated for Parkinson's disease populations, dementia populations, and general community-dwelling older adults).

All questions & possible results

Answer based on how you have felt over the past week.

Are you basically satisfied with your life?

Select one option:

Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?

Select one option:

Do you feel that your life is empty?

Select one option:

Do you often get bored?

Select one option:

Are you in good spirits most of the time?

Select one option:

Are you afraid that something bad is going to happen to you?

Select one option:

Do you feel happy most of the time?

Select one option:

Do you often feel helpless?

Select one option:

Do you prefer to stay at home, rather than going out and doing new things?

Select one option:

Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?

Select one option:

Do you think it is wonderful to be alive now?

Select one option:

Do you feel pretty worthless the way you are now?

Select one option:

Do you feel full of energy?

Select one option:

Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?

Select one option:

Do you think that most people are better off than you are?

Select one option:

Possible results

GDS-15 Score: Suggests mild depression (5-7 pts)

A score of 5 or more suggests depression and warrants a follow-up comprehensive assessment before treatment is considered.

Please discuss with your health care provider. Further assessment may still be needed depending on your clinical presentation.

Medical Disclaimer & Terms of Use

This assessment is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not constitute medical advice, a professional diagnosis, an opinion, or a plan of treatment.
Consult Your Doctor: The results of this electronic assessment are intended to be a starting point for a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
No Doctor-Patient Relationship: Use of this electronic tool does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and the developers of this assessment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please stop and call your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Accuracy of Data: By using this tool, you acknowledge that self-reported data is subjective. While this assessment utilizes validated scoring logic, the interpretation of these scores requires clinical context that can only be provided by a licensed medical provider.

GDS-15 Score: Absence of clinically significant depressive symptoms (0-4 pts)

Please discuss with your health care provider. Further assessment may still be needed depending on your clinical presentation.

Medical Disclaimer & Terms of Use

This assessment is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not constitute medical advice, a professional diagnosis, an opinion, or a plan of treatment.
Consult Your Doctor: The results of this electronic assessment are intended to be a starting point for a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
No Doctor-Patient Relationship: Use of this electronic tool does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and the developers of this assessment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please stop and call your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Accuracy of Data: By using this tool, you acknowledge that self-reported data is subjective. While this assessment utilizes validated scoring logic, the interpretation of these scores requires clinical context that can only be provided by a licensed medical provider.

GDS-15 Score: Suggests severe depression (≥10 pts)

A score of 5 or more suggests depression and warrants a follow-up comprehensive assessment before treatment is considered.

Please discuss with your health care provider. Further assessment may still be needed depending on your clinical presentation.

Medical Disclaimer & Terms of Use

This assessment is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not constitute medical advice, a professional diagnosis, an opinion, or a plan of treatment.
Consult Your Doctor: The results of this electronic assessment are intended to be a starting point for a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
No Doctor-Patient Relationship: Use of this electronic tool does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and the developers of this assessment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please stop and call your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Accuracy of Data: By using this tool, you acknowledge that self-reported data is subjective. While this assessment utilizes validated scoring logic, the interpretation of these scores requires clinical context that can only be provided by a licensed medical provider.

GDS-15 Score: Suggests moderate depression (8-9 pts)

A score of 5 or more suggests depression and warrants a follow-up comprehensive assessment before treatment is considered.

Please discuss with your health care provider. Further assessment may still be needed depending on your clinical presentation.

Medical Disclaimer & Terms of Use

This assessment is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not constitute medical advice, a professional diagnosis, an opinion, or a plan of treatment.
Consult Your Doctor: The results of this electronic assessment are intended to be a starting point for a conversation with a qualified healthcare professional. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
No Doctor-Patient Relationship: Use of this electronic tool does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and the developers of this assessment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please stop and call your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.
Accuracy of Data: By using this tool, you acknowledge that self-reported data is subjective. While this assessment utilizes validated scoring logic, the interpretation of these scores requires clinical context that can only be provided by a licensed medical provider.

Recommendations (Score ≥5)

Perform a suicide risk assessment for patients with suspected depression.
Rule out alternative diagnoses during the formal diagnostic evaluation.
Not intended as a diagnostic tool. Positive results necessitate further clinical evaluation.

Notes

This is a condensed version of the original 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Versions with 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 12 items have also been explored.
Studies show variability in the effectiveness of the GDS-15 among patients with significant cognitive impairment. Many validation studies have used cutoff Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of 10-15 or higher.

Citation

Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Lum O, Huang V, Adey M, Leirer VO. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982-1983;17(1):37-49.

Literature

Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Lum O, Huang V, Adey M, Leirer VO. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982-1983;17(1):37-49.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7183759/
Almeida OP, Almeida SA. Short versions of the geriatric depression scale: a study of their validity for the diagnosis of a major depressive episode according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;14(10):858-65.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10521885/
Dennis M, Kadri A, Coffey J. Depression in older people in the general hospital: a systematic review of screening instruments. Age Ageing. 2012 Mar;41(2):148-54.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22236655/
Shin C, Park MH, Lee SH, Ko YH, Kim YK, Han KM, Jeong HG, Han C. Usefulness of the 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15) for classifying minor and major depressive disorders among community-dwelling elders. J Affect Disord. 2019 Dec 1;259:370-375.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31470180/
Sacuiu S, Seidu NM, Sigström R, Rydberg Sterner T, Johansson L, Wiktorsson S, Waern M. Accuracy of 12 short versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale to detect depression in a prospective study of a high-risk population with different levels of cognition. Int Psychogeriatr. 2022 May;34(5):479-488.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31747979/
Friedman, B., Heisel, M. J., & Delavan, R. L. (2005). Psychometric properties of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale in functionally impaired, cognitively intact, community-dwelling elderly primary care patients. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53(9), 1570–1576.
https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53461.x

Answer based on how you have felt over the past week.

All questions & possible results

Citation

Literature

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