Abstract
Use of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory for measuring intensity of depression of psychiatric patients was examined recently by Vredenburg, Krames, and Flett. The present authors concur with their conclusion that substitution of the short form for the long one should be avoided, except for gross screening purposes. However, Vredenburg, et al.'s recommendations for modifying the 21-item Beck inventory by adding questions to measure increases in weight, sleep, and appetite to make the inventory congruent with the DSM-III and Research Diagnostic Criteria are challenged. Such symptoms are indicative of atypical depressions and would lead to spurious levels of depression being reported for clinically nondepressed persons.
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