Introduction
The 16-Item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (QIDS-C16) is a clinician-rated measure of depressive symptom severity and symptom change. A. John Rush and 12 colleagues published it in 2003. It covers nine symptom domains, and the original article has received more than 4,700 citations.
The development study appeared in Biological Psychiatry, the journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. The QIDS-C16 corresponds to the self-report QIDS-SR16 and offers a brief format for clinical and research assessment. This guide explains its domains, scoring, severity bands and related versions.
Key Features of the QIDS-C16
Purpose and Use
The QIDS-C16 assesses the severity of depressive symptoms and how they change over time. Clinicians and researchers use it in both clinical and research settings.
Target Population
The QIDS-C16 targets adults aged 18 and older with depression.
Structure
The QIDS-C16 contains 16 items grouped into nine symptom domains. The clinician rates symptoms over the preceding 7 days, covering:
MoodCognitive symptomsSuicidal ideationInterestEnergySleepAppetite and weightPsychomotor symptomsScoring Method
Each item scores from 0 to 3. The clinician then combines the responses into nine domain scores:
For the sleep, appetite/weight and psychomotor domains, only the highest relevant item score counts.The nine domain scores add up to a total of 0 to 27; higher scores indicate greater severity.Total score
Severity
0–5
No depression
6–10
Mild
11–15
Moderate
16–20
Severe
21–27
Very severe
Administration Format
A clinician completes the QIDS-C16 based on the patient's symptoms over the past 7 days. Because it mirrors the self-report QIDS-SR16, the two ratings can be compared.
Applications of the QIDS-C16
The QIDS-C16 supports several uses:
Severity assessment: rating current depressive symptom severity across nine domains.Monitoring: tracking symptom change during treatment.Research: providing a brief clinician-rated outcome in studies of depression.Languages and availability
Besides English, researchers have studied the QIDS-C16 in several languages:
Arabic: psychometric properties in Saudi Arabian patientsMandarin Chinese: psychometric properties of the Chinese versionsVietnamese: psychometric properties of the Vietnamese versionsThe QIDS is copyrighted (© 1986, 2000 UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas).
Reliability and Validity
Rush and colleagues evaluated the psychometric properties of the QIDS-C16 and QIDS-SR16 in 2003, in patients with chronic major depression. Later studies examined both QIDS versions alongside the IDS in public sector patients with mood disorders, and with item response analysis.
Validation studies:
The 16-Item QIDS, clinician rating (QIDS-C) and self-report (QIDS-SR): a psychometric evaluation in patients with chronic major depression (2003): study linkThe IDS-C, IDS-SR, QIDS-C and QIDS-SR in public sector patients with mood disorders (2004): study linkItem response analysis of the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (2006): study linkLimitations and Considerations
Keep these points in mind:
Clinician rating: a clinician must rate the items, unlike the self-report QIDS-SR16.Brief format: 16 items cover the core symptom domains, whereas the 30-item IDS-C provides a more comprehensive assessment.Other Versions And Related Questionnaires
The QIDS-C16 belongs to a family of four related measures:
QIDS-SR16: a 16-item self-report version covering the same nine core domains.IDS-C30: a 30-item clinician-rated version for a comprehensive assessment (see the ResRef guide to the original IDS-C).IDS-SR30: a 30-item self-report version for a comprehensive assessment (see the ResRef guide to the original IDS-SR).The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D17, HAM-D21 and HAM-D24) is also related; see the ResRef HAM-D guide.
Additional Resources
The original development study: linkFor inquiries, contact Augustus John Rush, M.D., at curbstoneconsultant@gmail.com.Browse more depression questionnaires in the ResRef database.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the QIDS-C16 measure?The QIDS-C16 measures depressive symptom severity over the past 7 days across nine domains, such as mood, sleep, appetite and weight, energy, interest and suicidal ideation.
How is the QIDS-C16 scored?Items score 0 to 3. For sleep, appetite/weight and psychomotor domains, only the highest item counts. The nine domain scores add up to a total from 0 to 27.
What do QIDS-C16 scores mean?Totals of 0–5 indicate no depression, 6–10 mild, 11–15 moderate, 16–20 severe, and 21–27 very severe depression.
How does the QIDS-C16 differ from the QIDS-SR16?A clinician completes the QIDS-C16, whereas patients complete the QIDS-SR16 themselves. Both cover the same nine symptom domains and use the same 0–27 total.
A Word from ResRef About the QIDS-C16
The QIDS-C16 is a clinician-rated 16-item measure of depressive symptom severity across nine DSM-IV symptom domains. It is designed to correspond to the self-report QIDS-SR16 and provides a brief format for clinical and research assessment.
References
Rush, A. J., Trivedi, M. H., Ibrahim, H. M., Carmody, T. J., Arnow, B., Klein, D. N., Markowitz, J. C., Ninan, P. T., Kornstein, S., Manber, R., Thase, M. E., Kocsis, J. H., & Keller, M. B. (2003). The 16-Item quick inventory of depressive symptomatology (QIDS), clinician rating (QIDS-C), and self-report (QIDS-SR): a psychometric evaluation in patients with chronic major depression. Biological Psychiatry, 54(5), 573–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(02)01866-8Liu, J., Xiang, Y., Wang, G., Zhu, X., Ungvari, G. S., Kilbourne, A. M., Lai, K. Y. C., Zhong, B., Zhang, L., Zhang, Q., Zou, Y., Xiao, L., Zhao, Q., Li, Y., Wu, J., Zhang, G., & Chiu, H. F. K. (2013). Psychometric properties of the Chinese versions of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology – Clinician Rating (C-QIDS-C) and Self-Report (C-QIDS-SR). Journal of Affective Disorders, 147(1-3), 421–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.08.035Phi, H. N. Y., Manh, B. X., Ngoc, T. A., Chau, P. T. M., Tho, T. Q., Nghia, N. T., Nghia, T. T., Quynh, H. H. N., Huy, N. T., Linh, N. T., & An, P. L. (2023). Psychometric Properties of Vietnamese Versions of the Clinician-Rated and Self-Reported Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and the Patient Health Questionnaire. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 33(2), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.12809/eaap2258Trivedi, M. H., Rush, A. J., Ibrahim, H. M., Carmody, T. J., Biggs, M. M., Suppes, T., Crismon, M. L., Shores-Wilson, K., Toprac, M. G., Dennehy, E. B., Witte, B., & Kashner, T. M. (2004). The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (IDS-C) and Self-Report (IDS-SR), and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (QIDS-C) and Self-Report (QIDS-SR) in public sector patients with mood disorders: a psychometric evaluation. Psychological Medicine, 34(1), 73–82. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291703001107Bernstein, I. H., Rush, A. J., Carmody, T. J., Woo, A., & Trivedi, M. H. (2006). Item response analysis of the inventory of depressive symptomatology. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 2(4), 557–564. https://doi.org/10.2147/nedt.2006.2.4.557