Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
EPDSA 10-item self-report screen for depression during pregnancy and after childbirth, focused on mood symptoms rather than the somatic ones common in the perinatal period.
Ready-to-cite methods sentence
Reliability & validation
Known limitations
A screening tool, not diagnostic; optimal cutoffs vary across cultures and languages. Item 10 asks about self-harm and should always be reviewed individually.
Original citation
Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150(6), 782-786.
https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.150.6.782Questions researchers ask
What does the EPDS measure?
A 10-item self-report screen for depression during pregnancy and after childbirth, focused on mood symptoms rather than the somatic ones common in the perinatal period.
How many items does the EPDS have?
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has 10 items.
Is the EPDS free to use?
The EPDS is free to use for non-commercial academic research. You don't need to pay a license fee, but you should always cite the original publication.
Is the EPDS reliable?
Validation studies report Cronbach's α of 0.87. See the reliability section for the population studied and full statistics.
Who developed the EPDS, and how do I cite it?
Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 150(6), 782-786. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.150.6.782
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Library entry verified July 2026. Metadata is provided for reference; item wording is available inside Folio Surveyor, subject to each instrument's licensing.