Screening Tool

Screening Tool

SCREENING TOOL

If you believe that you may have PND and seek help from a health care professional they will more than likely use a screening tool to determine whether you are suffering with PND and the severity of it. The most frequently used tool is called the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).

The EPDS consists of ten short statements. You will be asked to underline which of the four possible responses is closest to how you have been feeling during the past week. Most mothers can complete the scale without difficulty in less than 5 minutes.

However the EPDS score should not override the health care professionals clinical judgment. A careful clinical assessment should be carried out by them to confirm their diagnosis. The scale only indicates how you have felt during the previous week and if the health care professional has any doubt they may repeat the EPDS after 2 weeks.

THE SCALE

Instructions for users:

The mother is asked to underline the response which comes closest to how she has been feeling in the previous 7 days.
All ten items must be completed.
Care should be taken to avoid the possibility of the mother discussing her answers with others.
The mother should complete the scale herself, unless she has limited English or has difficulty with reading.
The EPDS may be used at 6-8 weeks to screen postnatal women. The child health clinic, postnatal check-up or a home visit may provide suitable opportunities for its completion.

****

Name: _______________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

Baby's Age: __________________

As you have recently had a baby, we would like to know how you are feeling. Please UNDERLINE the answer which comes closest to how you have felt IN THE PAST 7 DAYS, not just how you feel today.

I have been able to laugh and see the funny side of things.

As much as I always could
Not quite so much now
Definitely not so much now
Not at all
I have looked forward with enjoyment to things.

As much as I ever did
Rather less than I used to
Definitely less than I used to
Hardly at all
* I have blamed myself unnecessarily when things went wrong.

Yes, most of the time
Yes, some of the time
Not very often
No, never
I have been anxious or worried for no good reason.

No, not at all
Hardly ever
Yes, sometimes
Yes, very often
* I have felt scared or panicky for not very good reason.

Yes, quite a lot
Yes, sometimes
No, not much
No, not at all
* Things have been getting on top of me.

Yes, most of the time I haven't been able to cope at all
Yes, sometimes I haven't been coping as well as usual
No, most of the time I have coped quite well
No, I have been coping as well as ever
* I have been so unhappy that I have had difficulty sleeping.

Yes, most of the time
Yes, sometimes
Not very often
No, not at all
* I have felt sad or miserable.

Yes, most of the time
Yes, quite often
Not very often
No, not at all
* I have been so unhappy that I have been crying.

Yes, most of the time
Yes, quite often
Only occasionally
No, never
* The thought of harming myself has occurred to me.

Yes, quite often
Sometimes
Hardly ever
Never

Response categories are scored 0, 1, 2, and 3 according to increased severity of the symptoms. Items marked with an asterisk are reverse scored (i.e. 3, 2, 1, and 0). The total score is calculated by adding together the scores for each of the ten items.

Users may reproduce the scale without further permission providing they respect copyright by quoting the names of the authors, the title and the source of the paper in all reproduced copies.

(Taken from the British Journal of Psychiatry June, 1987, Vol. 150 by J.L. Cox, J.M. Holden, R. Sagovsky)