Zung Depression Scale Calculator

Zung Depression Scale Calculator for Psychiatry. The result is an index, not percentage likelihood of depression. The previous page applied index-style boundaries directly to raw totals. This replacement deliberately supplies no diagnostic severity label.

For shared guidance on choosing a tool and documenting results, read the clinical calculator workflow.

How this calculator works

The original SDS is identified at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14221692/. Index = raw / 80 x 100 = raw x 1.25. A primary audit of published usage documents frequent raw/index confusion: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5828114/.

When to use this calculator

Resolve a report that uses “SDS score” without identifying its scale. Confirm the convention before comparing studies or clinical records. Complete the instrument externally with appropriate materials.

Inputs used

  • Complete SDS raw total, an integer from 20 to 80
  • Confirmation that the value is raw, not an index or SAS anxiety score

Clinical interpretation

The result is an index, not percentage likelihood of depression. The previous page applied index-style boundaries directly to raw totals. This replacement deliberately supplies no diagnostic severity label.

Worked example

Raw 40 converts to index 50.00. Raw 48 converts to 60.00. An already converted index of 50 must not be re-entered as raw: doing that produces 62.50 and double-converts the report. Raw 20 and 80 map to 25 and 100, not 0 and 100.

Limitations and safety notes

Interpretation varies with population and score convention. The source audit was accessed through indexed primary text; the direct PMC open presented a browser challenge. No missing-response imputation, questionnaire or suicide-risk assessment is supplied.

Frequently asked questions

Can two reports both saying “50” be compared?

Not until their conventions are known. Raw 50 means index 62.50; index 50 means raw 40. The same printed number may describe different totals.

References

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14221692/
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5828114/

Editorial review and citation methodology

Maintained by the Quick Medical Calculator Editorial Team. Content record date: September 9, 2026. A content date is not evidence of independent clinical review. Individual clinical sign-off is not recorded on this page.

  • Prefer original validation studies for scoring systems and prediction tools.
  • Use current specialty society guidance, transplant allocation policy, public health guidance, or regulator resources when they govern clinical use.
  • Include limitations and safety notes when a calculator is population-specific, context-dependent, or unsuitable as a standalone decision tool.

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