Comparison of self–report and clinician ratings of depression among outpatient adolescents

Abstract

To determine whether adolescents' scores on clinician-ating and self–report scales for depression were comparable, a sample of 43 adolescent outpatients completed four objective, self–report questionnaires. Their scores on these measures were compared with each other and with clinicians' scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Correlations between the self-report questionnaires ranged from .52 to .88 (P ± .001); whereas their correlations with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ranged from .56 to .66. While supportive of the convergent validity of these measures, our findings suggest that important differences exist between alternative measures of depression, and that scores derived from different scales may not be equivalent. Depression 3:139–145 (1995). © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.