CHILDREN WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - A COMPARISON BETWEEN CHILDREN SCORING HIGH ON SELF-REPORT AND CHILDREN SCORING HIGH ON BOTH SELF-REPORTAND ADULT REPORT

This study assessed the difference between children who scored high on ly on self-report and children who scored high on both self-report and adult report. The assessment was made among 5544 children aged 8 year s, using the Rutter A2 Scale, Rutter B2 Scale, and Children's Depressi on Inventory. Of these children, the 367 (6.6%) who scored high on the CDI Scale were more closely analyzed in this study. Most of the child ren who scored high on self-report did not score high on scales filled in by the adults. Boys were more often seen as disturbed on both repo rts than were girls. Children who reported depressive symptoms and per formed poorly at school were more often seen to be disturbed by the ad ults than were children who scored high on self-report but performed w ell at school. Children who scored high on several measures had more c onduct and attentional problems according to all informants when compa red with children who scored high only on self-report. The CDI factors did not differ from each other among boys in the groups studied. Amon g girls, interpersonal problems were related to the disturbance seen a lso by the adults. Children who report many depressive symptoms themse lves mostly score low on adult report. Especially children with depres sive symptoms that are not manifest in behaviour are easily viewed as nondisturbed by adults. There is a clear need to collect information d irectly from the children themselves when children's psychiatric sympt oms are assessed.