TEACHERS RATINGS OF SOCIAL COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN WITH HIGH VERSUS LOW-LEVELS OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

This study examined the relationship between children's self-ratings o f depressive symptoms on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and teachers' ratings of the situational social competence of these child ren based on the Taxonomy of Problematic Social Situations (TOPS). Chi ldren in the high CDI group showed significantly higher teacher rating s (indicating lower social competence) than children in the low CDI gr oup on four TOPS scales: peer group entry, response to provocation, re sponse to success, and teacher expectations. Of the children in the hi gh CDI group, 85% could be correctly classified with a discriminant an alysis on the basis of TOPS ratings; of the children in the low CDI gr oup, 77% were correctly classified. Implications of these findings, as well as limitations of the study, are discussed. Copyright (C) 1996 S ociety for the Study of School Psychology