Childhood and adolescent depression: child-report versus parent-report information.

The correspondence between child- and parent-reports of the child's depression was evaluated in a group of 60 children (ages 8–17 years) referred for psychiatric evaluation of depression. Children completed two self-report measures of depression, the Children's Depression Scale and the Children's Depression Inventory. In a separate interview parents completed a self-report scale evaluating depression in their child. Results indicated that children who met DSM-III criteria for major depression reported significantly more severe depressive symptoms than children who received other psychiatric diagnoses. In contrast, parent-reports of depression in their children failed to discriminate between children receiving different psychiatric diagnoses. While parents' ratings of depression in themselves was not related to their child's self-reports of depression, parents' ratings of their own depression correlated significantly with their perceptions of depression in their children. Results suggest that children and adolescents are capable of providing valid self-reports of depressive symptoms. Factors which may influence parent-reports are discussed.