Outcome MeasureDepression

SHAPS

Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale

11 Papers in Blossom

About This Instrument

The SHAPS (Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale) is a 14-item self-report scale measuring hedonic tone — the capacity to experience pleasure. Items assess pleasurable responses across four domains: interests and pastimes, social interaction, sensory experiences, and food and drink. Scores range from 0 to 14; higher scores indicate greater anhedonia. A score of ≥3 is commonly used as a clinical threshold. The SHAPS is used in depression research as a targeted measure of anhedonia, a core feature of major depressive disorder and a domain of particular interest in psychedelic trials.

Outcome Data Across Studies

Reported results for SHAPS across 8 studies with quantitative data.

Outcome data across 28 study arm–timepoint observations
SD
Anti-anhedonic effect of ketamine and its neural correlates in treatment-resistant bipolar depression
2014Secondary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)03637.27.3—
Anti-anhedonic effect of ketamine and its neural correlates in treatment-resistant bipolar depression
2014Secondary
Placebo→Ketamine(experimental)03637.27.3—
Anti-anhedonic effect of ketamine and its neural correlates in treatment-resistant bipolar depression
2014Secondary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)0.1636———
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)05237.76.7—
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)0.0285233.14.8—
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)0.0335233.14.8—
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)0.055233.14.8—
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)0.165233.14.8—
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)152——0.656
Neural correlates of change in major depressive disorder anhedonia following open-label ketamine
2015Primary
Ketamine→Placebo(experimental)252———

Papers Using SHAPS

Paywallindividual

A phase 2 uncontrolled, open-label study of intranasal BPL-003 (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) in patients with treatment-resistant depression

This 12‑week, open‑label Phase IIa trial of a single 10 mg intranasal dose of 5‑MeO-DMT (BPL‑003) in patients (n=12) with treatment‑resistant major depressive disorder, found that the drug was generally well tolerated with mostly mild–moderate adverse events and rapid discharge readiness (median ~98 minutes). A rapid and sustained mean MADRS reduction of 12–13 points was observed from Day 2 through Day 85, with most participants meeting response criteria and several achieving remission, supporting further evaluation in larger controlled trials.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Roberts, C., Seynaeve, M., Ermakova, A. O., Dunbar, F., Wells, H., Puri, A., Bird, C., Rucker, J. J.
Open Accessindividual

Dissociable effects of psilocybin and escitalopram for depression on processing of musical surprises

In adults with MDD, psilocybin therapy produced larger reductions in anhedonia than escitalopram and preserved subjective affective responses to musical surprises while decreasing ventromedial prefrontal and angular gyrus activation and increasing sensory-region responses. By contrast, escitalopram reduced surprise-related affective responses and increased activation in memory and emotional processing areas, implying divergent mechanisms — psilocybin may lower prediction-error salience or strengthen hedonic priors, whereas escitalopram may diminish them.

Published
Journal
Molecular Psychiatry
Authors
Harding, R., Singer, N., Wall, M. B., Hendler, T., Erritzoe, D., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L.
Open Accessindividual

Ketamine Modulates the Neural Correlates of Reward Processing in Unmedicated Patients in Remission from Depression

This double-blind, placebo-controlled study (n=37) found that ketamine improved responses to rewards two hours after depressed patients had received ketamine (35mg/70kg) treatment. This correlated with neurological observations (increases in activation of NAc, the putamen, the insula, and the caudate).

Published
Journal
Biological Psychiatry
Authors
Kotoula, V., Stringaris, A., Mackes, N., Mazibuko, N., Hawkins, P. C. T., Furey, M., Curran, V., Mehta, M. A.
Open Accessindividual

Antianhedonic Effect of Repeated Ketamine Infusions in Patients With Treatment Resistant Depression

In 42 patients with treatment‑resistant depression, eight adjunctive ketamine infusions produced a statistically significant reduction in anhedonia (SHAPS), and this antianhedonic change mediated ketamine’s antidepressant effect, with one‑week post‑treatment benefits observed only in patients not taking benzodiazepines. These preliminary results require replication in a larger randomised placebo‑controlled trial.

Published
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Wilkowska, A., Wiglusz, M. S., Cubała, W. J., Galuszko-Wegielink, M., Wlodarczyk, A.
Open Accessindividual

Intravenous Ketamine for Adolescents with Treatment-Resistant Depression: An Open-Label Study

This open-label study (n=13) probed into the efficacy and tolerability of intravenous ketamine in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and investigated clinical response predictors using the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) and the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS). It supported the potential of ketamine in the treatment of adolescent patients with TRD and a dose-response relationship but called for larger sample size and overcoming limitations such as the open-label design and further research.

Published
Journal
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
Authors
Cullen, K. R., Amatya, P., Roback, M. G., Albott, C. S., Schreiner, M. W., Ren, Y., Eberly, L. E., Carstedt, P., Samikoglu, A., Gunlicks-Stoessel, M., Reigstad, K., Horek, N., Tye, S., Lim, K. O., Klimes-Dougan, B.
Open Accessindividual

Ketamine has distinct electrophysiological and behavioral effects in depressed and healthy subjects

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, brain imaging study (MEG; n=60) found that ketamine (35mg/70kg) produced different effects in healthy (n=25) and depressed (MDD; n=35) subjects. Both had significant improvement in scores of depression, increases in resting gamma power, those with MDD and lower initial gamma scores and higher scores after ketamine improved most.

Published
Journal
Molecular Psychiatry
Authors
Nugent, A. C., Ballard, E. D., Gould, T. D., Park, L. T., Moaddel, P. J., Brutsche, N. E., Zarate, C. A.

Quick Facts

Full Name
Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale
Domain
Depression
Papers Indexed
11
Score Range
0–14
Interpretation
Lower = better
Unit
points
Reference
Visit
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