DEPRESSION AND CONDUCT DISORDER IN NATIVE AND NONNATIVE CHILDREN

Objective: To compare depression and conduct disorder symptoms between North American Native and non-Native children as rated by teacher, pa rent, and self-reports. Method: The sample included 1,251 Native child ren in grades 2 and 4 in four different settings across North America and comparison samples of 457 non-Native children. Parents, teachers, and children rated children's mental health using culturally sensitive measures of depression and conduct disorder symptoms. Results: Accord ing to parent ratings and child self-reports, there were no Native/non -Native differences in levels of conduct disorder symptoms. However, n on-Native teachers rated higher levels of conduct disorder symptoms am ong Native children compared with non-Native students. Children report ed higher levels of depression than the adults rating them. Conclusion s: Results challenge assertions about high levels of psychopathology a mong Native youngsters. Cultural distance may introduce a negative bia s in teacher evaluations of Native children's mental health.