Helen Orvaschel

Children's symptom and social functioning self-report scales. Comparison of mothers' and children's reports.

This paper reports on the testing of self-report scales, in a pilot study of 28 children with a psychiatrically ill parent. We examined the relationship between childrens responses about themselves and mothers responses about their children, on symptom and social functioning scales. The self-report scales administered to the children included the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Childrens Depression Inventory, and the Social Adjustment Scale. The mothers completed the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, the Conners Parent Questionnaire, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale about their children. Agreement between mothers and children on the assessment of the child was poor. Agreement was good across the scales used when the information was derived from the same informant. The implication of these results for epidemiological studies, particularly concerning dual informants, is discussed.

Comparison of the family history method to direct interview factors affecting the diagnosis of depression

This study compares information on the diagnosis of depression obtained by family history reports with the formation obtained by direct interview. Reports were obtained from family members on the psychiatric status of 696 individuals for whom direct SADS-L interviews were also available. The effects on family history reports of subjects characteristics, treatment status, age of onset of depression, and endogenous symptoms were examined. Sensitivity and specificity for family history reports on the specific symptoms of depression are also reported. The specificity of family history reports for the diagnosis of depression was consistently high but sensitivity varied as a function of subject and illness characteristics. Sensitivity was somewhat higher for females than males and appreciably higher for probands than for their first-degree relatives and spouses. Sensitivity was increased whenever treatment, hospitalization or endogenous symptoms were present in the subject, indicating that family history reports are most accurate for detecting the severest cases of depression. Finally, the symptoms of depression that are least accurately reported by relatives are identified and suggestions for modifying the family history criteria for depression are proposed.

Children and depression: The children of depressed parents; The childhood of depressed patients; Depression in children

In order to understand the development of depression in children, three types of data are reviewed: (1) studies of the children of depressed parents; (2) studies of the childhood histories of depressed adults; (3) direct studies of depression in children. These data support an increased frequency of depression and other psychopathology in the children of depressed adults. An examination of the homes of children with a depressed parent reveals a disruptive, hostile, and rejecting environment. This atmosphere is also found in the homes of depressed children and in the homes of children who become depressed as adults. Methodological issues are discussed which will help sort out the relative influences of genes and environment in future studies.

Assessing Psychopathology in Children of Psychiatrically Disturbed Parents: A Pilot Study

Abstract The diagnostic status of 28 children of psychiatrically disturbed parents was evaluated using structured diagnostic interviewing procedures. We examined the relationship between childrens interviews and mothers interviews about their children, in order to determine the level of diagnostic agreement. The results of this comparison indicated a moderate level of diagnostic agreement between mothers and children on childrens psychiatric disorders. A 43% prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this high-risk sample was also found. The need for obtaining and combining information from mother and child informants for optimal diagnostic assessment is stressed. The implications of these findings are discussed.