PREVALENCE OF CHILDHOOD DEPRESSION - RESULTS OF THE 1ST STUDY IN SPAIN

Prevalence of depressive disorders was studied in 6432 children aged 8 -11 years, selected by exhaustive random sampling in four Spanish citi es and two rural areas. The number of non-participants was 38 (0.6%). Selection was by a two-stage procedure. At stage I, the Children's Dep ression Inventory was used to identify a sample for more intensive int erviewing. At stage II, children were individually evaluated using a s emi-structured interview, the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revis ed (CDRS-R). CDRS-R and DSM-III diagnostic criteria were used to defin e caseness. 1.8% of children met the criteria for major depression, wi th a further 6.4% being diagnosed as having dysthymic disorder.