The Children’s Depression Inventory 2 (CDI 2) is a comprehensive multi-rater assessment of depressive symptoms in youth aged 7 to 17 years. Depressive symptomatology is quantified by the CDI 2 based on reports from children/adolescents, teachers and parents. Developed based on the Original CDI, the CDI 2 retains many of the essential features of its predecessor and introduces a number of important refinements. The updated version includes new items that focus on the core aspects of childhood depression, revised scales that are more reliable and valid, as well as new norms that are representative of the U.S. population. Also updated and enhanced are the normative samples of the Parent and Teacher reports. Together, the inventories are a family of tools that accurately assess the presence and the severity of depressive symptoms.

How to Use the Assessment

The CDI 2 is available in paper-and-pencil and online formats.

paper and pencil administration and scoring

All CDI 2 forms may be administered and scored using the MHS QuikScore format. The rater writes on the external layers of the form, and the results transfer through to a hidden scoring grid within the internal layers. The assessor then uses the internal layers for tabulating results. Each QuikScore form includes conversion tables, which are used to convert raw scores to T-scores. For individuals who wish to use software or online scoring, CDI 2 items are also available as Response/E-Paper forms that do not include the scoring pages.

Scales

• Emotional Problems
• Functional Problems

Subscales

• Negative Mood
• Negative Self-Esteem
• Ineffectiveness
• Interpersonal Problems

type of available forms

CDI 2: Self (CDI 2:SR)

The full-length CDI 2 Self Report is ideal when assessors require a more robust description of the child’s depressive symptoms. The CDI 2:SR is 28-item assessment that yields a Total Score, two scale scores (Emotional Problems and Functional Problems), and four subscale scores.

CDI 2: Self (Short) version (CDI 2:SR[S])

The CDI 2:SR(S) Report is an efficient screening measure that contains 12 items and takes about half the time of the full-length version to administer (5-10 minutes).The CDI 2:SR(S) has excellent psychometric properties and yields a Total Score that is generally very comparable to the one produced by the full-length version.

CDI: Teacher (CDI:T) and CDI: Parent (CDI:P)

The CDI:T and CDI:P Reports consist of items that correspond to the self-report version and are suitably rephrased. Item selection for the parent and teacher forms was guided to maximize validity, and thus focused on observable manifestations of depression.

Technical Information

The CDI 2:SR normative sample (note that this is the same normative sample for the CDI:SR Short; CDI:SR[S]) includes 1,100 children aged 7 to 17 years from 26 different states in the U.S.  The sample is evenly proportioned in terms of age and gender, with 50 males and 50 females at each age. The racial/ethnic distribution of the sample matches the U.S. census distribution very closely (i.e., all races were within 1% of Census targets, (based on the 2000 U.S. Census report). Overall, the normative sample includes a reasonable spread of geographical locations of all four major regions of the U.S.

A clinical sample of 319 youth aged 7-17 years (M age = 12.63 years, SD age = 3.02 years) diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD; 33.86%), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD; 28.21%), Conduct Disorder (CD; 14.11%), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD; 13.79%), or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD; 10.03%) was obtained.

Reporting Options

There are three report types:

1. Assessment Report (provides detailed results from one administration),
2. Progress Report (provides an overview of change over time by combining results from up to four administrations), and
3. Comparative Report (provides an overview of the child’s symptoms from a multi-rater perspective and highlights inter-rater differences in scores from up to five different raters)

Online administration in MHS Assessment Center + (MAC+) 

Assessing online has never been easier with the new MHS Online Assessment Center +. Experience the new online platform designed with clinicians for clinicians to ensure the easiest, fastest and most accurate assessing possible!

Why use the Cdi-2 online?

• Save time – fast, easy and accurate administration with automated scoring
• Assess and score from anywhere – enjoy the convenience of viewing reports from your home, office or anywhere with an online connection
• Improve efficiency and accuracy – when items are absent, prompts appear to ensure information is not missed
• User friendly – easy to use interface for practitioners and respondents
• Gain information easily – email a link to the form directly to the respondent
• Tailored organisation – data can be customized to how you work
• Benefit from significant cost savings – don’t purchase paper forms in bulk ever again

View the full list of assessments available in the MHS Online Assessment Center + here.

Sample Reports