Report Viewer

NINDS CDE Notice of Copyright
Child Depression Inventory (CDI)
Availability
Please visit this website for more information about the instrument:
Child Development Inventory
Classification
Supplemental: Epilepsy, Headache, and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)-Pediatric
Short Description of Instrument

Purpose: Assesses cognitive, affective and behavioral signs of depression in children and adolescents 7 to 17 years old.
Description: The Children's Depression Inventory contains a 28 item self-report items that each consist of three statements. For each item, the individual is asked to select the statement that best describes his or her feelings for the past two weeks.
Comment: The 28-item scale is brief and easy to administer and it can facilitate the multifaceted evaluation of children and adolescents, assessing cognitive, behavioral and affective signs of depression in 7-17 year old children and adolescents. The assessment is designed for a variety of situations, including schools, child guidance clinics, pediatric practices, and child psychiatric settings. The Children's Depression Inventory is used by clinicians and counselors to: Assess self-reported key symptoms of depression, such as a child's feelings of worthlessness, loss of interest in activities, support diagnosis, as well as treatment planning.
A short form of this assessment is available, which includes 10 items and can be administered in 5 minutes.
Time Estimates: 15 minutes.
Vendor: Pearson- Assessment and Information. Children's Depression Inventory (CDI).

Rationale/Justification
Strengths: Self report tool over a short period of time to assess a child's feelings. It does not include somatic symptoms of depression that may be related to a child's mitochondrial disorder versus a symptom of depression.
Weaknesses: The CDI is a self report tool and therefore limited to a population who is cognitively able to answer the questions.
Specific to Mitochondrial Disease: The tool has not been validated in children with mitochondrial disorders but depression has been reported in adults with mitochondrial disorders and is likely present in children and adolescents as well.
Scoring

Primary Dependent Measures: The CDI gives a total score and five subscores divided by age and gender.

References
Anderson, C. J., Kelly, E. H., Klaas, S. J., Russell, H., Daharsh, E., & Vogel, L. C. (2009). Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with spinal cord injuries. Dev Med Child Neurol, 51(10), 826-832.
Flanagan, A., Kelly, E. H., & Vogel, L. C. (2013). Psychosocial outcomes of children and adolescents with early-onset spinal cord injury and those with spina bifida. Pediatr Phys Ther, 25(4), 452-459.
Garma, S. I., Kelly, E. H., Daharsh, E. Z., & Vogel, L. C. (2011). Health-related quality of life after pediatric spinal cord injury. J Pediatr Psychol, 36(2), 226-236.
Saylor, C. F., Finch, A. J., Jr., Spirito, A., & Bennett, B. (1984). The children's depression inventory: a systematic evaluation of psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol, 52(6), 955-967.
 
Document last updated March 2024