▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Depression Rating Scale Clause Samples

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Depression Rating Scale. The MADRS was specifically designed to measure the degree of severity of symptoms and to be sensitive to effects of treatment on symptom severity of depression (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1979). This assessment has high inter-rater reliability, does not factor in symptoms related to anxiety disorders and has only one item pertaining to sleep disturbance. The MADRS is also the preferred assessment used when evaluating symptom reduction due to psychotropic drugs (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2004). The assessment instrument is administered in a 15-minute interview by a trained provider (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & Asberg, 1979). The 10-item checklist has cut-off scores to represent gradations of severity from ‘remission’ to ‘very severe’. However conceptual disagreements regarding the specific cutoff points have resulted in the use of various thresholds in several antidepressant efficacy trials (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2004). ‘Remission’ is the ultimate goal of treatment efforts, determined by severity of depressive symptoms exhibited by clients at the end of treatment, persistence of symptom resolution, and ultimately the client’s return to normal1 levels of functioning. The threshold for remission defined by various antidepressant efficacy trials ranged from a score of 4 to 9 on the MADRS (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al., 2004). The threshold for remission used at Skyland Trail is a score of less than 7, reflecting complete absence of clinically significant symptoms of depression.