The Influence of Caregiver Depressive Symptoms on Proxy Report of Youth Depressive Symptoms: A Test of the Depression-Distortion Hypothesis in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To test the depression-distortion hypothesis in pediatric type 1 diabetes. METHODS: In a sample of 187 youth with type 1 diabetes, caregivers completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI): parent proxy report. Youth completed the CDI. To test whether caregiver depressive symptoms (CES-D) moderated the proxy report of youth depressive symptoms (CDI:P), the CDI, CES-D, and their interactions were entered as predictors in to a regression analysis. RESULTS: The regression was significant, F (8,178) = 9.26, p <.0001, R(2) =.29, and all three variables were significant predictors. Post-hoc probing of the interaction showed that caregivers with high CES-D scores reported high levels of youth depressive symptoms at both high and low levels of youth-reported depressive symptoms. In contrast, caregivers with low CES-D scores reported similar levels as the youth. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the depression-distortion hypothesis in a pediatric chronic disease sample.