Standardized Beck Depression Inventory-II scores for male veterans coping with chronic pain

Abstract

The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) has been suspected of overestimating the level of depression in individuals that endure chronic pain. Using a sample (N = 345) of male military veterans with chronic pain enrolled in an outpatient treatment program, a factor analysis on the BDI-II revealed a "Somatic Complaints" factor along with 2 other factors we labeled "Negative Rumination" and "Mood." Standardized scores were provided for each BDI-II factor score, Total score, and Total minus Somatic score. The internal consistency reliabilities (Gilmer-Feldt and alpha coefficients) for all scores were found to be clinically acceptable. Item-Total score correlations found that all of the BDI-II items were good discriminators (r > .30). We conclude that the normative data provided in this study should help control for somatic responding by male chronic pain veterans on the BDI-II. We highly recommend that clinicians and researchers use the norm-referenced method when interpreting BDI-II scores from individuals suffering from chronic pain.