Objective: To explore the applicability of the Depression Scale (DEPS), a s
creening instrument for detecting depression in primary health care, in sch
izophrenia.
Method: The DEPS was compared with the Calgary Depression Scale (CDS) among
63 patients with schizophrenia.
Results: Using the CDS as a gold standard, the positive and negative predic
tive values of the DEPS for the diagnosis of depression were 41% and 97%, r
espectively. The correlation between the total CDS scores and the total DEP
S scores was 0.73.
Conclusion: The DEPS appears to be useful for screening depression among sc
hizophrenic patients, but the positive diagnosis must be confirmed with a c
linical interview.