Comparison of the Parent and Child Versions of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI)

AbstractA parent's version of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-P) was compared with the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI-C). Subjects were 79 depressed children, 49 psychiatric controls, and 19 normal controls and their parents. CDI-P and CDI-C scores differentiated depressed children and psychiatric controls from normal controls (p < 0.0001). CDI-P scores did not differentiate depressed children from psychiatric controls. CDI-P scores were significantly higher than CDI-C scores among depressed and psychiatric controls (p < 0.02). The CDI-P and CDI-C appeared to be useful in assessing depressive symptoms in children but were less helpful in diagnosing depression.