Does the geriatric depression scale (GDS) distinguish between older adults with high versus low levels of suicidal ideation?
OBJECTIVE: The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a common screening measure for late-life depression, but it does not directly assess thoughts of death or suicide. The present study asked whether 30-item (GDS) and 15-item (GDS-SF) GDS scales differentiate older adults with high versus low levels of suicidal ideation. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a sample of 105 adults age 65 or older recruited from medical and psychiatric inpatient and outpatient practices, nursing and retirement residences, and community-based seniors’ programs. RESULTS: GDS scores were associated positively with self-report and clinician-administered measures of suicidal ideation. Fifteen of 30 GDS items and 7 of 15 GDS-SF items distinguished groups high or low in self-reported suicidal ideation. Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analyses indicated criterion validity for the GDS measures with respect to suicidal ideation at cut-off scores of 12 for the GDS and 6 for the GDS-SF. Five internally
