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Child Depression: Prevalence and Comparison between Self-Reports and Teacher Reports

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2017

Joana Jaureguizar ,
Elena Bernaras Open the ORCID record for Elena Bernaras [Opens in a new window]  and
Maite Garaigordobil
Joana Jaureguizar*
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Elena Bernaras
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Maite Garaigordobil
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Joana Jaureguizar. Universidad del País Vasco (Spain). E-mail: joana.jauregizar@ehu.eus
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Abstract

Depression is one of the most worrying diseases nowadays. The study had three main purposes: 1) to identify the prevalence of depressive symptomatology in 7–10 year olds, exploring differences according to gender and age; 2) to analyze the consistency between self-reports and teacher reports; and 3) to explore the relationship between depression and academic performance. Regarding the methodology, the sample comprised 420 students aged between 7 and 10 years from the Basque Country (53.3% boys, 46.7% girls). With a descriptive, comparative and correlational design, 4 assessment instruments were used. Results from the self-reports showed a depression rate fluctuating between 4.6% and 4.8% (clinically significant), and between 4.3% and 5% (moderate depression). However, prevalence rates from teacher reports varied between 0.2% and 3.6% (clinically significant) and between 4.6% and 7.7% (moderate depression). The consistency rate between self-reports and teacher reports was small. Differences according to gender varied depending on the instruments used and depression was higher in boys (BASC, d = .23; SPECI d = .36). Symptomatology did not increase with age. Depression correlated negatively with academic performance (self-reported depression: CDS-T r = –.12, SPECI r = –.17; depression reported by teachers: CDS-T r = –.24, SPECI r = –.50). The importance of training teachers to better identify child depression is discussed, as well as the relevance of developing prevention programs.

Keywords

academic performancechild depressionprevalenceself-reportteacher
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 20 , 2017 , E17
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2017 

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