What is this test?
The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) is a clinician-administered assessment used to evaluate the severity of depressive symptoms. It is one of the most widely used tools in psychiatry and clinical research.
Where is it used?
- Psychiatric hospitals and clinics
- Clinical psychology practice
- Medication and therapy outcome tracking
How to administer:
Originally conducted as a structured interview by a trained clinician.
This version is adapted for **self-report training and educational purposes**.
Scoring:
Items are rated on either:
- 0–4 scale (severity based)
- 0–2 scale (presence/absence)
Total score is calculated by summing all items.
Interpretation:
0–7 → Normal
8–13 → Mild depression
14–18 → Moderate depression
19–22 → Severe depression
23+ → Very severe depression