Time frame: Baseline data were collected prior to the intervention and post-intervention data were collected 10 weeks later.
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory, one of the most widely used instruments for measuring the severity of depression. It assesses the intensity of depression into 4 categories ranging from minimal (scores from 0-13) to severe (scores from 29-63) (79). Each item is a list of four statements arranged in increasing severity about a particular symptom of depression. The depression criteria are consistent with those of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). The cognitive-affective factor includes items concerning sadness, past failure, loss of pleasure, guilty feelings, punishment feelings, self-dislike, self-criticalness, suicidal thoughts or wishes, crying, agitation, loss of interest, worthlessness, and irritability. The somatic factor is comprised of loss of energy, changes in sleeping pattern, changes in appetite, concentration difficulty, and tiredness or fatigue.