Comparing the use of the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory for screening depression in patients with chronic pain.

Background: Studies have shown that the validity of self-reported depression questionnaires may be influenced by somatic symptoms such as chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of two self-reported questionnaires, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), for screening depression in patients with chronic pain.

Methods: One hundred patients with chronic pain were enrolled and assessed using the TDQ, BDI, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R.