Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1987 Jun:150:782-6.
doi: 10.1192/bjp.150.6.782.

Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

J L Cox  1 , J M Holden, R Sagovsky
Affiliations

Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

J L Cox et al. Br J Psychiatry. 1987 Jun.

Abstract

The development of a 10-item self-report scale (EPDS) to screen for Postnatal Depression in the community is described. After extensive pilot interviews a validation study was carried out on 84 mothers using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for depressive illness obtained from Goldberg's Standardised Psychiatric Interview. The EPDS was found to have satisfactory sensitivity and specificity, and was also sensitive to change in the severity of depression over time. The scale can be completed in about 5 minutes and has a simple method of scoring. The use of the EPDS in the secondary prevention of Postnatal Depression is discussed.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • EPDS by post.
    Green JM, Snowdon C, Statham H. Green JM, et al. Br J Psychiatry. 1991 Jun;158:865. doi: 10.1192/bjp.158.6.865a. Br J Psychiatry. 1991. PMID: 1873645 No abstract available.
  • The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
    Matthey S, Barnett B, White T. Matthey S, et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2003 Apr;182:368; author reply 368. doi: 10.1192/bjp.182.4.368. Br J Psychiatry. 2003. PMID: 12668422 No abstract available.

Publication types