Major Depression Inventory (MDI)

What is the MDI?

• The MDI is a 12-item self-report questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization and Per Bech’s team. It was designed to measure depressive symptoms and to produce an official ICD‑10 or DSM‑IV diagnosis of clinical depression, while also providing a continuous severity score.

• It covers core symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest, sleep problems, energy levels, concentration, appetite, guilt, psychomotor changes, and suicidal thoughts .

• Notably, it’s freely available online (no cost) and widely used in epidemiological research and clinical settings.

How to take the MDI

1. Reflect on the past 2 weeks.
   Rate each of the 12 statements—from feeling low to physical symptoms—on a scale, typically:

   • 0 = “At no time”

   • … up to

   • 5 = “All the time”

2. Answer every item honestly, thinking about how often each symptom has affected you.

3. Scoring:

   • Severity score: Sum all the item scores for a total between 0–50. Higher scores = more severe depression.

   • Diagnostic algorithm:

     • Uses either ICD‑10 criteria (for mild/moderate/severe depression)

     • Or DSM‑IV criteria focused on major depression (requires 5 of 9 key symptoms, including low mood or loss of interest).

4. Interpretation:

   • If screening positive, it’s best to discuss your results with a qualified mental health professional to confirm diagnosis and explore treatment options.

Take the test

You can complete the MDI online here, free of charge:

→ Major Depression Inventory – take the test now

It’s automatically scored upon completion, and guidance is provided to help interpret your results.