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Screening Tools for Depression

Several tools are useful in screening children and adolescents for possible depression. They include the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), the Beck Youth Inventories (BYI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Reynolds Child Depression Scale (RCDS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale(CES-D). If a child screens positive on any one of these tools, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation by a mental health professional is warranted.

Children's Depression Inventory (CDI)

This instrument, developed by Maria Kovacs, Ph.D., measures depression in children ages 7-17 years old. It is a self-report, symptom-oriented scale with a first-grade reading level. It has 27 items, each of which consists of three choices. The child is instructed to select one sentence for each item that best describes him or her for the past 2 weeks. It takes roughly 15 minutes to administer. There is also a 10-item short form available.

The CDI profile presents you with a total score as well as five factors that have been empirically developed. These scores have been normed according to age and gender:

For more information on CDI, go to www.mhs.com/onlineCat/product.asp?productID=CDI

Beck Youth Inventories (BYI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)

Aaron Beck has designed several instruments for adults and youth that have all been empirically tested and extensively used worldwide. BYI are designed for children ages 7 through 14 years. Five self-report inventories can be used separately or in combination to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, disruptive behavior, and self-concept. Each inventory contains 20 statements about thoughts, feelings, and behaviors associated with emotional and social problems in youth.

Each inventory can be completed in 5 or 10 minutes. Items are written at the second-grade reading level, with language that is easy to understand for self-reporting.

BDI-II, is the most widely used instrument for measuring depression. It also takes 5 or 10 minutes to complete. There are 21 items that assess the intensity of depression to be in compliance with the DSM-IV criteria. The age range has been expanded to include youth and adults between 13 and 80 years old.

To find out more information about these instruments, go to http://harcourt.assessment.com.

Reynolds Child Depression Scale (RCDS)

Developed by Dr. William Reynolds, this screen is best for children in grades 3-6 and takes only 10 minutes to administer. It can be administered individually or in groups. This tool evaluates the severity of children's depressive symptoms.

It is written at a second-grade level. In the earlier grades (3 and 4), the questions are generally read out loud, while students answer 30 questions rated on a four-point scale. This tool has been field tested since 1981 for its validity and reliability. The manual that accompanies the instrument provides basic information on the diagnosis and measurement of depression, a description of RCDS and its development, normative information, and guidelines for interpretation.

For more information, go to Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. (PAR) at www.parinc.com.

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