Although there are numerous self-report depression and anxiety measures, the correlation between self-report and interview methods is only moderate. Self-report instruments, however, have a definite place in psychiatric research. In this paper, commonly used self-report scales of depression and anxiety symptom severity are reviewed and critiqued, paying special attention to issues of treatment sensitivity in psychiatric efficacy studies. The validity and reliability of the following instruments are summarized: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Carroll Rating Scale for Depression (CRS), Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), single item and multiple item Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Although self-report scales cannot substitute for interview methods, they are a useful adjunct approach in psychiatric outcome studies.
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