Systematic Review on the Use of the Children's Depression Inventory-2 among Hispanics

Symptoms of depression and anxiety among Ukrainian children displaced to Poland following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war: Associations with coping strategies and resilience

This study sought to discern the association of resilience, coping, and contextual factors on depression and anxiety among Ukrainian children displaced to Poland following the Russo-Ukrainian war. A cross-sectional analysis was undertaken with 284 Ukrainian children, aged 11-15 years, relocated to Poland in 2022 due to the ongoing conflict. Participants were assessed using validated tools for anxiety, depression, resilience, and coping, alongside a study-specific questionnaire. Notable associations emerged between depression and variables including age (Mage  = 12.04, 49% females), emotional coping, relational resilience, and significant loss, accounting for 39% of the variance (p < .001). Anxiety was intricately linked with heightened emotional coping and diminished problem-solving capabilities, accounting for notable variances (state: 32%, trait: 45%, p < .001). Resilience, particularly in relational contexts, and the experience of bereavement stood out as paramount determinants of mental health outcomes. Children's mental health in conflict zones is shaped by a convoluted interplay of individual and environmental factors. This study accentuates the pivotal role of relational resilience, bereavement, and coping mechanisms in modulating depression and anxiety amidst war-related adversities. It underscores the imperative for targeted interventions, fostering positive relationship frameworks, and enhancing adaptive coping mechanisms.

Negative Events Related to School Functioning and Their Relationship with the Risk of Depression in Adolescents

Negative experiences experienced by adolescents can cause the risk of developing mental health disorders, social maladaptation and academic problems. The aim of the study is to identify the risk of depression in adolescents in connection with experienced negative life events. The study involved 507 students of urban and rural secondary schools aged 12–17 years (median, quartiles 14 [14; 15]), 47.5% boys, 52.5% girls. The M. Kovacs Depression Scale (Children's Depression Inventory, CDI) and the Adolescent Mental Life Events Scale (ASLEC) were used. With adolescents who showed a high level of risk of depression on the CDI scale, an additional clinical interview was conducted. It is shown that adolescents perceive most of the negative events they have experienced as significant. A significant proportion of them account for life events related to school functioning, while no significant differences were found in the groups of boys and girls. It is suggested that the events experienced by students related to school functioning, in the absence of a statistically significant relationship with the risk of depression, may still increase the risk of depression in the presence of events in the life of adolescents related to family functioning (family conflicts, physical punishment in the family) and psychological factors (criticism or punishment). The data obtained concerning the frequency of experiencing negative life events related to the school sphere and noted by respondents as significant, make it necessary to work with teachers in the context of health-preserving psychological and pedagogical support.

Pilot Validation Study for the Spanish-language CDI-2 among Adolescents from Puerto Rico

The Children's Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2) was validated and standardized for U.S. children. Although some data is available on its Spanish-language 12-item short form, the psychometric properties of the Spanish full-length form (28-item) are unknown. We examined the internal consistency (alpha coefficient) and concurrent validity of the Spanish-language CDI-2 among 51 Puerto Rican youth (aged 12-18 years), recruited from a public school, a private school, and a local church. Scores on the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale-2 (RADS-2) were used as concurrent validity criteria. We found alpha coefficients of .84, .74 and .76 for the Total, Emotional Problems, and Functional Problems scores, respectively. Corrected item-total correlations from .13 (Arguments with friends) to .69 (Feeling lonely) were observed. Reliability coefficients for subscales ranged from .58 (Interpersonal Problems) to .65 (Ineffectiveness and Negative Self-Esteem). CDI-2 and RADS-2 scores correlated .87. Correlations between RADS-2 scores and CDI-2 subscales ranged from .66 to .70 (p ≤ .001). Similar validity coefficients were found for the short form (α = .68). Our initial report on the Spanish full-length CDI-2 suggest that its psychometric properties with Puerto Rican adolescents may be similar to those of the original Spanish CDI and those reported for Hispanics using the English-language CDI-2.