R. Dion et al., DEPRESSION AND CONDUCT DISORDER IN NATIVE AND NONNATIVE CHILDREN, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(7), 1998, pp. 736-742
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.