Validation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for use with adolescents

BACKGROUND: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), developed for use with adults, has potential with adolescents. AIMS: To test the HADS's validity with adolescents. METHOD: The HADS was given to 248 schoolchildren and to 48 psychiatric out-patients and 38 deliberate self-harm in-patients aged 12-17, and validated against ICD-10 diagnoses for the out-patients. RESULTS: The HADS has adequate test-retest reliability and factor structure, and discriminates between adolescents diagnosed with depressive or anxiety disorders and those without these diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric properties of the HADS and its shortness make it useful for screening and in clinical settings with adolescents.