Which tool is commonly used to monitor depressive symptoms in CBT?

• A. PHQ-9
• B. Sleep diary
• C. Blood panel
• D. Cognitive map

Answer: (A)

Monitoring depressive symptoms in CBT relies on brief, standardized tools that quantify how someone is doing over time. The PHQ-9 fits this purpose perfectly: it is a concise self-report questionnaire that captures the nine core symptoms of major depressive disorder, with each item rated from 0 to 3. The total score gives a clear measure of severity and can be tracked across sessions, letting you see whether CBT techniques are reducing symptom burden, guide adjustments in treatment, and set concrete goals. Its brevity and strong psychometric properties make it a practical, widely used choice in CBT practice.

The other options don’t serve as direct, standardized measures of depressive symptom severity. A sleep diary tracks sleep patterns, which can be affected by depression, but it doesn’t quantify depressive symptoms themselves. A blood panel is a medical test, not a psychological symptom measure. A cognitive map is a CBT tool for organizing thoughts and beliefs, not a standardized rating of depressive symptoms.