Toolkit / Depression

MADRS: Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale

Clinician, 10 items, scored 0–60, about 15 minutes · Score helper

Ten-item clinician-rated depression scale designed to be sensitive to change with treatment. Less weighted towards sleep and somatic symptoms than the HAM-D, and widely used in antidepressant trials.

Patient details for the printout optional · never saved or sent

Left blank, these print as lines to fill in by pen.

Score helper. Rate each item 0–6 using the defined anchors (0, 2, 4, 6) from the original scale; odd numbers sit between two anchors. The anchor wording is not reproduced here — keep the published form beside you.

  1. 1Apparent sadnessObserved: what the rater sees
  2. 2Reported sadnessWhat the patient says about their mood
  3. 3Inner tension
  4. 4Reduced sleep
  5. 5Reduced appetite
  6. 6Concentration difficulties
  7. 7Lassitude
  8. 8Inability to feel
  9. 9Pessimistic thoughts
  10. 10Suicidal thoughts

    Suicidal thoughts are rated. Ask directly about plans and intent, and complete a risk assessment regardless of the total score.

Interpreting the total

0–6Normal / symptoms absent
7–19Mild depression
20–34Moderate depression
35–60Severe depression

Notes

  • This page is a score helper: the item names are given, but the published anchor descriptions are not reproduced. Rate from the original form.
  • Severity bands follow Snaith et al. (1986). Other conventions exist; check which your department or trial uses.
  • Remission is commonly defined as a total of 10 or less (some studies use 12 or less); response as a 50% or greater reduction from baseline.

References

  1. Montgomery SA, Åsberg M. A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry. 1979;134:382–389.
  2. Snaith RP, Harrop FM, Newby DA, Teale C. Grade scores of the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression and the Clinical Anxiety Scales. Br J Psychiatry. 1986;148:599–601.
  3. Hawley CJ, Gale TM, Sivakumaran T. Defining remission by cut off score on the MADRS: selecting the optimal value. J Affect Disord. 2002;72(2):177–184.

Copyright status of the anchor text is unclear, so only item names and generic step labels are shown. Use the published scale (Br J Psychiatry 1979) for the anchor wording.

An educational aid for clinicians, not a substitute for clinical judgement. Scores support, but never replace, a full assessment. Your answers on this page are never stored or sent.

Spotted an error in this scale?

Please don’t include any patient details.