Depression received much attention in the professional literature as a stimulus both for experimental as well as applied research. It continued to be the subject of much controversy in respect to its definition, identification, and classification. Attempts were made to objectify the assessment of depression using self-report scales to tap various aspects though to be related to its etiology as well as its symptomology. Two of the most popular and reportedly well-validated self-report scales identified in the literature for determining and quantifying depressive symptoms were the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck) and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (Zung).The present study was designed to determine if there were factors in common between the Beck and the Zung scales and, in addition, to test whether these factors would differentiate subjects by sex class membership, diagnostic category, and by some linear combination of biographical or life-history information. The major purpose was the identification of outstanding charactersitics of depression predicted from biographical data and the determination of the relationship of these data to self-rating psychometric measures of depression. This study makes it clear that the Beck and Zung scales are measuring different aspects of depression and thus are likely based on separate constructs. The need of developing a depression index based on separate factor scores is highlighted. Also, a multimodal approach to assessment in general is indicated. Studies relating biographical information to factors of depression are suggested. This study makes several inroads, generating descriptive factors and significant biographical or life history correlates. These findings could be expanded and further research could lead to the development of assessment tools useful in the identification of patients with distinct depressive syndromes, as well as at-risk subject groups, in order to implement both primary and secondary prevention.