Children's Depression Inventory Article Analysis

Essay by Shawn1969University, Bachelor'sA+, November 2009

download word file, 8 pages 5.0

Depression is a well-known emotional disorder that is characterized by feelings ranging from overwhelming guilt, fatigue, and social withdrawal, to irritability, abuse, and at times suicidal behaviors (Luby, 2009). Depression is not bound by age, gender, or ethnicity. Research shows that in the month of August 2009, approximately 15% of children under the age of six suffer from exceptionally high anxiety and depression levels (Jarvis, 2009). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) is a test often used by counselors and psychologists to assess an adolescent's symptoms of depression. Within this paper, several articles regarding the results of CDI tests will be discussed. These selected articles will also be compared, to illustrate how the results may be achieved during practical application. Furthermore, the qualifications required for administering and interpreting the CDI will be determined. Finally, the populations for which the psychological measure is valid and invalid will be distinguished, in efforts of establishing the boundaries of this psychological assessment.

Article Concerning Childhood Depression in GreeceThe first article that concerns the use of the CDI examines children with depression living in Greece. Screening for Children's Depression Symptoms in Greece, by G. Giannakopoulos (2009), gives a global perspective of the 21st century's concern with depressed youth. This article also delves into how the test's measurements are attained, and in which settings optimal results can be achieve. The setting illustrated by Giannakopoulos (2009) suggests that an academic or counseling atmosphere would be most appropriate for performing this psychological measure, and in evaluating the projected outcome. The results of this article's assessment state that depressive symptoms were being measured in children from ages 8-12, with cutoff ages above 19 or below 13 (Giannakopoulos, 2009). These findings were much lower than the studies concerning alternate countries (Giannakopoulos, 2009).

The results of the CDI's 27 item questionnaire possess...