[Methodologic studies of the Hamilton rating scale for depression (author's transl)]

Within the scope of psychopharmacologic therapies, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was applied 3 times on each of 197 psychiatric patients. An extended version (24 symptoms) of the Hamilton Scale was employed, which included the original symptoms. Various formal analyses (frequency of symptoms, influence of sex, item analyses, estimation of reliability, factor analysis) allow the following conclusions: With the original version, the single factor solution is the most consistent; several factors are not acceptable. With the extended version (used in the U.S.A.) the single factor solution can be equally recommended, but the two factor solution could also be taken into consideration, whereby a distinction is made between retarded depression and somatic depression aspects. The total score of the Hamilton Scale is satisfactorily consistent and hardly dependent on sex.