BACKGROUND The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) underwent revision in 1996 (BDI-II) with the goal of addressing DSM-IV depression criteria. The present study assessed psychometric properties of the German version of the BDI-II. PATIENTS AND METHODS The BDI-II was translated into German and evaluated in a series of studies with clinical and nonclinical samples. RESULTS The content validity of the BDI-II has improved by following DSM-IV symptom criteria. Internal consistency was satisfactorily high (alpha>or=0.84), and retest reliability exceeded r>or=0.75 in nonclinical samples. Associations with construct-related scales (depression, dysfunctional cognitive constructs) were high, while those with nonsymptomatic personality assessment (NEO-FFI) were lower. The BDI-II differentiated well between different grades of depression and was sensitive to change. CONCLUSION The German BDI-II demonstrates good reliability and validity in clinical and nonclinical samples. It may now replace the older version of the BDI for assessing self-rated severity of depression and course of depressed symptoms under treatment.
CITATION STYLE
Kühner, C., Bürger, C., Keller, F., & Hautzinger, M. (2007). [Reliability and validity of the Revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results from German samples]. Der Nervenarzt, 78(6), 651–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00115-006-2098-7
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