{{ progressPercent }}%
  • {{ q.id }}. {{ q.text }}
{{ resultText.title }}
{{ resultText.badgePrefix }} {{ totalScore }} – {{ severityName }}

{{ resultText.answersHeading }}
# {{ resultText.questionCol }} {{ resultText.answerCol }}
{{ a.id }} {{ a.text }} {{ a.answer }}
Categories: Assessment , Health & Fitness , Psychology
Export to PDF Fullscreen

Postnatal depression is a mood disorder that can affect parents within the first year after birth, influencing emotional balance, bonding, and daily functioning. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) distils key emotional indicators into ten concise items, providing a reproducible measure of depressive symptom severity for clinical screening and self-monitoring.

This interactive tool presents each EPDS item, lets you choose the response that best reflects your feelings in the previous seven days, and automatically adjusts scoring for positively phrased statements. As you progress, a live gauge and color-coded badge translate your cumulative total into a clear severity band ranging from minimal to probable depression.

Home visitors, new-parent groups, and telehealth practitioners can share the results page to prompt supportive conversations or track mood trends across visits. Because it works entirely in your browser, no response leaves your device, yet you can print the answer sheet for record-keeping. Results do not constitute a clinical diagnosis.

Technical Details:

Concept Overview

The EPDS quantifies depressive symptomatology on a 0–30 continuum by summing ten item scores; each item uses a four-point Likert scale. Positively worded items receive reverse scoring to maintain directional consistency. Scores below 10 align with general population baselines, whereas totals above 12 frequently correlate with clinically significant depressive episodes verified against structured psychiatric interviews. Intermediate scores reflect mild mood disturbance warranting watchful follow-up. First published in 1987, the scale has been translated into over thirty languages and demonstrates high internal consistency (Cronbach α ≈ 0.87) across populations.

Core Equation

S= ∑i=110 s′i , s′i= 3−si if i is reversed; si otherwise

Interpretation Bands

Score RangeSeverity BandGuidance
0 – 9Minimal / No DepressionMonitor mood; no immediate action required.
10 – 12Mild DepressionRepeat screening and discuss feelings with a support network.
13 – 30Probable DepressionSeek professional evaluation without delay.

Variables & Parameters

  • item response (si) – chosen option value 0–3.
  • reverse flag (R) – indicates positively phrased items.
  • total score (S) – sum of adjusted item values.

Assumptions & Limitations

  • Applies to parents within>12 months postpartum.
  • Captures mood for the preceding seven days only.
  • Not validated for diagnosing bipolar or anxiety disorders.
  • Cultural nuances may affect item interpretation.

Edge Cases & Error Sources

  • Incomplete responses distort severity band allocation.
  • Uniform “0” or “3” answers may signal disengagement.
  • Reverse-scoring misapplication shifts totals by up to six points.
  • External stressors unrelated to parenting confound symptom attribution.

Scientific Validity & References

Key studies: Cox et al. (1987) original validation, Murray & Carothers (1990) sensitivity analysis, Gibson et al. (2009) meta-review.

Privacy & Compliance

The scale processes only anonymised subjective ratings, therefore falls outside GDPR special category definitions.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Complete the questionnaire in one sitting or revisit bookmarked responses later.

  1. Press Start Assessment.
  2. For each statement, think about the last 7 days.
  3. Select the option that best describes your feelings.
  4. Use the left pane to jump between unanswered items.
  5. View the live gauge once every question is filled.
  6. Read the personalised summary beneath the gauge.
  7. Print or save the answer table for future reference.
  8. Repeat the tool after two weeks to track changes.

FAQ:

Is my data stored?

No. All responses stay in your browser; nothing is transmitted or saved externally.

How often should I repeat it?

Re-screen every two weeks or whenever mood changes markedly.

Can partners use it?

Yes. Although designed for post-partum mothers, partners may also screen for mood changes.

What if my score is high?

Share the result with a health-care professional immediately to discuss next steps.

Does the gauge predict diagnosis?

No. The visual gauge illustrates severity bands; only a clinician can provide a diagnosis.

Glossary:

EPDS
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
Likert scale
Ordered response format ranging 0–3.
Reverse scoring
Inverting positive item values before summation.
Severity band
Qualitative category derived from total score.
Gauge
Semi-circular charting layer visualising score.