Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale
The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale is a clinician-rated depression severity measure. This page explains the instrument for clinics. It is not a self-test.
Overview
What is the MADRS?
MADRS was designed to be sensitive to change in depression treatment studies. A trained clinician rates defined items after interview. It is not a patient-completed questionnaire and should not be presented as one.
Development and clinical use
Montgomery and Asberg published the scale in 1979 as a clinician rating intended to detect treatment effects. Multiple administration manuals and structured interview guides have since been used. Confirm the exact version and training expectation.
- Administrator
- Trained clinician
- Mode
- Interview and rating
- Typical use
- Severity and change
- Respondent
- Patient, clinician rated
- Not a questionnaire pack
- Rater required
- Clinical role
- Severity support
Administration
A focused clinician rating
A clinician interviews the person and rates each item against published anchors. This is not a client-only form. Digital workflows must preserve the rater's role and the official rating instructions.
- One rated item at a time with visible progress
- Keyboard-operable response choices
- Previous, next, and review steps for the rater
- Clear confirmation that the rating is stored for clinic review
Each item is rated 0-6. Anchors sit at 0, 2, 4 and 6, and the rater may choose the steps between them.
Report showcase
Designed to make evidence easy to review
The downloadable synthetic example illustrates report layout using invented response patterns, without patient data or instrument questions.
- Named instrument, version, and provenance
- Item-level response pattern without source wording
- Methodology, references, and clinical boundary
- Responsible clinician review rather than automated conclusions
Clinician review required
Methodology
Understand the measure and its scoring conventions
Lirena stores the Montgomery and Åsberg (1979) item definitions, anchors and rater instruction. Each item is rated 0-6 with anchors at 0, 2, 4 and 6, for a 0-60 total reported in the Snaith et al. (1986) grades: 0-6 absent or normal, 7-19 mild, 20-34 moderate and 35-60 severe.
References
- Original MADRS paperMontgomery SA, Asberg M. A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry. 1979;134:382-389.
- MADRS severity gradesSnaith RP, Harrop FM, Newby DA, Teale C. Grade scores of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and the Clinical Anxiety Scales. Br J Psychiatry. 1986;148:599-601.
Questions
What clinics ask before they evaluate the MADRS
These answers stay inside educational catalogue scope. They do not replace official manuals or clinician judgement.
Is MADRS a patient questionnaire?
No. It is a clinician-rated scale completed after interview. It should not be sent as an unsupervised self-report.
Does MADRS diagnose depression?
No. It estimates rated severity. Diagnosis and treatment decisions remain clinical.
Can I complete MADRS here?
No. This page is educational catalogue information only.
What should clinics check first?
Confirm the exact version, rater training, and how the rating will be reviewed beside the clinical interview.