This study compared the sensitivity and specificity of three rating scales in detecting major depression in 149 hospitalized cocaine abusers. Patients were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Symptom Checklist-90 at admission and at 2 weeks and 4 weeks of hospitalization. The admission BDI score offered the best combination of sensitivity and specificity. However, the low specificity of all the scales and the low prevalence rate of major depression in this population made the positive predictive power of the instruments weak. The results support some limited use of the BDI as an initial screening instrument in cocaine abusers.