You answered 20 questions about how you've felt over the past week and got a score between 0 and 80. The CESD-R (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale - Revised) is one of the most widely used depression screening tools in research. Here's what your score means.
The quick answer
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 0-15 | Below clinical threshold; depression unlikely |
| 16-20 | Subthreshold symptoms; mild depression possible |
| 21-35 | Possible major depression; evaluation recommended |
| 36-80 | Probable major depression; treatment recommended |
A score of 16 or higher indicates clinically significant depressive symptoms. This doesn't mean you definitely have depression—it means further evaluation is warranted.
What the CESD-R measures
The 20 questions cover how often you've experienced various symptoms over the past week or so:
Depressed mood (Questions 2, 4, 6)
- Couldn't shake the blues
- Felt depressed
- Felt sad
Loss of interest (Questions 8, 10)
- Nothing made me happy
- Lost interest in usual activities
Appetite and weight (Questions 1, 18)
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss without trying
Sleep problems (Questions 5, 11, 19)
- Restless sleep
- Sleeping too much
- Trouble falling asleep
Thinking and concentration (Questions 3, 20)
- Trouble keeping mind on tasks
- Couldn't focus on important things
Guilt and self-worth (Questions 9, 17)
- Felt like a bad person
- Didn't like myself
Fatigue (Questions 7, 16)
- Couldn't get going
- Tired all the time
Psychomotor changes (Questions 12, 13)
- Moving too slowly
- Feeling fidgety
Suicidal thoughts (Questions 14, 15)
- Wished I were dead
- Wanted to hurt myself
For each symptom, you rated how often it occurred: not at all, 1-2 days, 3-4 days, 5-7 days, or nearly every day for 2 weeks.
What to do based on your score
Score 0-15 (below clinical threshold)
Your answers suggest you're not experiencing significant depression symptoms right now. Normal fluctuations in mood fall into this range.
This doesn't mean you have no concerns—if something feels wrong, trust your experience. But based on this screening, clinical depression appears unlikely.
Score 16-20 (subthreshold symptoms)
You have some depressive symptoms at a mild level. Consider:
- Monitoring how you feel over the next few weeks
- Basic self-care: sleep, exercise, social connection
- Retaking the assessment in 1-2 weeks to see if symptoms change
If symptoms persist or worsen, consider talking to a healthcare provider.
Score 21-35 (possible major depression)
Your symptoms are in the moderate range and likely represent clinical depression. Consider:
- Scheduling an appointment with your doctor or a mental health provider
- Discussing whether therapy, medication, or both might help
- Not waiting to see if it resolves on its own—depression at this level often doesn't
Score 36-80 (probable major depression)
This score indicates severe depressive symptoms. Your symptoms likely represent major depression requiring treatment:
- Seek mental health evaluation soon
- Combined treatment (therapy + medication) is often most effective at this severity
- If you endorsed questions 14 or 15 (suicidal thoughts), please reach out for help now
Important: About questions 14 and 15
Questions 14 and 15 ask about wanting to die or hurt yourself. If you endorsed either of these questions at any level, please reach out for help:
- Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
- Go to your nearest emergency room
- Tell someone you trust
- Contact your healthcare provider
These thoughts are common in depression and treatable. You don't have to face them alone.
Where might you encounter the CESD-R?
The CESD-R is most common in:
Research studies — It's one of the most-cited depression measures in academic literature. If you're participating in a health study, you may complete the CESD-R.
Population health surveys — Public health programs use it to track community mental health.
Workplace wellness programs — Some employee wellness initiatives include CESD-R screening.
Online screening — Many self-help websites offer the CESD-R because it's in the public domain.
In clinical settings, you're more likely to encounter the PHQ-9.
CESD-R vs. PHQ-9
Both measure depression, but they have different histories:
| CESD-R | PHQ-9 | |
|---|---|---|
| **Questions** | 20 | 9 |
| **Score range** | 0-80 | 0-27 |
| **Timeframe** | Past week | Past 2 weeks |
| **Clinical cutoff** | 16 | 10 |
| **Primary use** | Research | Clinical practice |
The CESD-R was developed for population research in the 1970s. The PHQ-9 was developed for primary care in the 1990s. Both are valid, free to use, and correlate highly with each other.
If you've taken both and got different results, the different timeframes (1 week vs. 2 weeks) and cutoff thresholds might explain it.
What the CESD-R doesn't tell you
It doesn't diagnose depression. A high score means you have significant symptoms—not that you definitely have major depressive disorder. Diagnosis requires clinical evaluation.
It doesn't explain why. Depression symptoms can be caused by major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, grief, medical conditions, medications, or situational stress. The CESD-R measures symptoms, not causes.
It's a snapshot in time. You rated symptoms from the past week. Depression can fluctuate, so a single assessment doesn't capture the full picture.
Common questions
Why is the score range 0-80 instead of 0-60 like the original CES-D?
The revised version (CESD-R) added a fifth response option ("Nearly every day for 2 weeks") to better capture severe symptoms. This extended the maximum score from 60 to 80. The clinical cutoff of 16 was retained for consistency with the original.
My score was 15. Does that mean I'm fine?
Not necessarily. The cutoff of 16 is somewhat arbitrary—someone at 15 and someone at 17 aren't meaningfully different. If you're struggling, your experience matters more than hitting a specific number.
I took this for a research study. Will my score be shared with my doctor?
Research studies typically keep your data confidential and don't share individual results with healthcare providers. But if you're concerned about your score, you can always share it with your doctor yourself.
How often should I take this?
For personal monitoring, every 1-2 weeks during difficult periods is reasonable. For stable periods, monthly or less. The CESD-R asks about the past week, so very frequent administration (daily) isn't meaningful.
Tracking over time
If you're monitoring depression or in treatment, tracking scores helps show change:
- Improvement of 5-6+ points: Represents meaningful change (not just fluctuation)
- Dropping below 16: Suggests symptoms may no longer be clinically significant
- Rising scores: May indicate worsening symptoms requiring attention
The CESD-R's one-week timeframe makes it sensitive to short-term changes, which is helpful for monitoring but means day-to-day fluctuations may affect your score.
The nine symptom areas
Understanding which symptom categories are elevated can help focus treatment:
| Category | What it reflects |
|---|---|
| Sadness | Core depressed mood |
| Loss of interest | Anhedonia—inability to feel pleasure |
| Appetite/weight | Physical symptoms of depression |
| Sleep | Can be too much or too little |
| Thinking | Concentration and focus problems |
| Guilt/self-worth | Negative self-perception |
| Fatigue | Energy depletion |
| Psychomotor | Movement changes (slow or agitated) |
| Suicidal ideation | Thoughts of death or self-harm |
Not everyone with depression has all nine. Your pattern of symptoms helps guide treatment.
The bottom line
Your CESD-R score reflects how many depressive symptoms you experienced over the past week and how often. Scores below 16 suggest depression is unlikely. Scores of 16-20 indicate mild symptoms. Scores above 20 suggest probable depression warranting professional evaluation. The CESD-R is primarily a research tool, but your score is meaningful regardless of the setting. If you're struggling, help is available.
Related assessments
- PHQ-9 — The most common clinical depression screening (9 questions)
- PHQ-2 — Ultra-brief 2-question depression screen
- GAD-7 — Anxiety screening (commonly co-occurs with depression)
- DASS-21 — Combined depression, anxiety, and stress measure