RELATIONSHIP OF CHILDRENS DEPRESSION INVENTORY FACTORS TO MAJOR DEPRESSION AMONG ADOLESCENTS

This study examined the relationship between the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) scores and major depression, conduct disorder, and anxiety disorder diagnoses. Participants were 107 (58 male, 49 female) psychiatric inpatients, aged 12-18 years (M = 15.4, SD = 1.5). Definite major depression participants (n = 26) reported higher scores than nondepressed participants (absence of any depression diagnosis, n = 81) on all 5 CDI factor scores and the total CDI score. Conduct disorder participants scored higher on the externalizing factor; no other significant main or interaction effects were obtained for conduct disorder or anxiety. A discriminant function model using the 5 CDI factor scores classified participants as depressed versus nondepressed with a high degree of accuracy; a model using only the CDI total score yielded comparable discriminatory accuracy. The CDI total score was recommended as the most practical measure for classifying participants as depressed or not depressed.