Screening for Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Validating the Center for Epidemiologic Studees Depression Scale for Children

Abstract

The utility of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC), a modified version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, was explored in a sample of children, adolescents, and young adults at high or low risk for depression according to their parents' diagnosis. Proband parents were participants in the Yale Family Study of Major Depression who had children between the ages of 6 and 23 years. Diagnostic and self-report information on offspring was collected over two waves, spaced 2 years apart, from 1982 to 1986. Support was obtained for the reliability and validity of the CES-DC as a measure of depressive symptoms, especially for girls and for children and adolescents aged 12-18 years. Children with major depressive disorder or dysthymia, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III), had elevated scores in comparison with all other respondents. The CES-DC lacked diagnostic specificity; children with a range of current DSM-III diagnoses had elevated scores on the measure. A cutoff point of 15 and above for screening children and adolescents for current major depressive disorder or dysthymia may be optimal. Depressed respondents scoring below this cutoff point (false negatives) showed better social adjustment than true positives; nondepressed respondents scoring above this cutoff point (false positives) showed worse adjustment than true negatives. Factor analysis was used to construct an abbreviated, four-item version of the scale. The abbreviated scale was shown to be useful as a screen.

Why are Depressive Symptoms More Prevalent Among The Less Educated? The Relevance of Low Cultural Capital and Cultural Entitlement

“…Following studies demonstrating that shorter, four-or five-item versions of the CES-D are as sensitive and specific as the full version (see, e.g., Fendrich et al 1989;Lewinsohn et al 1997), a five-item version of the CES-D was used. We follow Van de Velde, Bracke, and Levecque (2010) and Radloff (1977) by using the CES-D as an interval-level measure indicating the frequency and severity of depressive symptoms and not as a diagnostic tool with a specific cutoff point.…”

Prevalence and predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms among child survivors 1 year following the Wenchuan earthquake in China

“…Their age ranged from 8 to 19 years (mean = 13.31, SD = ±2.27 years). Under the supervision of trained individuals with a degree in psychology, participants took about an hour to complete three confidential questionnaires (ID-coded without their names appearing on the questionnaires) in their classroom: the Child PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) [36], the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) [37,38], and the earthquake experience scale. This project was approved by the local education authorities (i.e., County Departments of Education), school principals, and the Research Ethics Committee of Beijing Normal University.…”

“…Children's depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children [37,38]. The CES-DC is a 20-item self-report measure for the assessment of emotional, cognitive, and behavior-related symptoms of depression.…”

Adequate Screening of Youngsters for Depressive Characteristics

“…Fendrich, Weissman, Warner, 1990). For that reason, we will control whether youngsters who score high on the CDI are depressed and not suffering from other psychopathology like anxiety or externalising behaviour.…”