Which instrument is used to assess for depression in children and adolescents?

• A. Beck Depression Inventory
• B. Children's Depression Inventory
• C. Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale
• D. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Answer: (B)

Assessing depression in kids requires tools tailored to their developmental stage. The Children's Depression Inventory is designed specifically for children and adolescents, using language that young people understand to measure depressive symptoms such as mood, interest, energy, and functioning. It’s a quick, self-report screen that is widely used in clinical practice, schools, and research because it’s practical and sensitive to changes over time. By contrast, the Beck Depression Inventory is primarily validated for adults, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, while applicable to adolescents, is not as universally used, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale targets adults in medical settings. For these reasons, the Children’s Depression Inventory is the most appropriate choice for assessing depression in children and adolescents.