Scores of Brazilian University Students on the Beck Depression and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventories

Abstract

The profiles of the Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores were obtained for a sample of Brazilian university students and compared with those of other studies. Subjects were 270 students from various universities in São Paulo, age 23.8 yr. (SD = 6.7 yr.). The mean Beck score for the total sample was 8.5 (SD = 7.0); according to the cut-off score of 16, 86 9% were considered normal, 7.5% had scores compatible with dysphoria, and 56% had scores indicative of depression. The mean State-Trait Anxiety score for the total sample was 40.7 (SD = 8.6). Considering one standard deviation as the threshold point, 17.8% could be considered low and 15.2% high on trait anxiety. Comparing our means with published data indicated that the Portuguese versions of the questionnaires are equivalent to original versions.