Depression following acute coronary syndromes: A comparison between the Cardiac Depression Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory II

Received 6 July 2004

Abstract

Objective

This study compared the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II).

Method

Depression was assessed in 81 participants, 2 weeks post-ACS, using the BDI-II and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Results

The CDS had a strong concurrent validity with the BDI-II (r=.69). Cross-validation of the BDI-II and the CDS with the structured interview demonstrated the ability of both measures to detect severe symptoms. More patients were classified as depressed using the CDS. The CDS also had a significantly higher correlation with a trait anxiety measure than the BDI-II did.

Conclusion

The CDS is a more suitable scale for assessing the less severe depressive symptoms typically seen in a cardiac population.

Keywords: Cardiac Depression Scale, Myocardial infarction, Psychometric, Validity, Reliability

a School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

b Department of Cardiology, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia

Corresponding author. School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia. Tel.: +61 3 9479 5045; fax: +61 3 9479 1956.

PII: S0022-3999(05)00112-1

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.06.003

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