Depression in Treated Narcotic Addicts, Ex-Addicts, Nonaddicts, and Suicide Attempters: Validation of a Very Brief Depression Scale

Samples of heroin-addicted veterans in treatment, ex-addict & nonaddict Vietnam veterans followed-up after return to the United States, & male attempters who were not drug abusers completed a very short (5 item) form of the Beck Depression Inventory. It proved to be an efficient method for screening for depression in these samples (e.g. results confirmed prior findings of high rates of depression among narcotic addicts in treatment) & thus might be useful when a brief method is needed. (GW)