title: Validation of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in non-postnatal women.
abstract: This paper reports the validation of the EPDS against a Research Diagnostic Criteria diagnosis of Major and Minor depression. The EPDS was administered to non-postnatal women with older children (mean age of youngest child 3 years 9 months) and to postnatal women (baby aged 6 months). All who scored 9 or above and one third of low scorers were interviewed, using Goldberg's Clinical Interview Schedule. The study confirmed good user acceptability of the EPDS when administered as a postal questionnaire (92% response rate). The EPDS was found to have satisfactory sensitivity (79%) and specificity (85%). Our findings suggest that the EPDS take a place alongside other screening scales for depression in Community samples. It is proposed that when used in these settings it is referred to as the Edinburgh Depression Scale.
authors.affiliation: University of Keele, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires