<p> The Children Depression Inventory (CDI) Uses and Applicability</p><p>The Child Depression Inventory (CDI), engaged to assess and determine the levels of children typically between the ages of seven and 17 years of age has several uses. For example, the study performed by Ivarsson, Svalander, & Litlere (2006) not only demonstrated how the</p><p>CDI illuminates correlations between childhood experiences, childrearing, age and gender and levels of depression or the experiences thereof, but also reveals how these factors how depression can and will influence children, adolescents and young adults. Although the CDI has been utilized for middle school age children, adolescents and those within high school (Ivarsson,</p><p>Svalander, & Litlere, 2006) proved the CDI was also applicable for college student assessments.</p><p>Therefore, its range of applicability may well extend beyond the commonly accepted seventeen years of age limit. Given these findings, researchers can also employ the CDI to determine which factors in a school environment give rise to the symptoms of depression or cultivate such development.</p><p>Yet, the CDI’s utility, applicability and reliability rest within its flexibility and its construct.</p><p>(Kovacs, 1992) Since symptoms of depression change with the progression of age and the school setting, the CDI can help researchers or clinical psychologists determine which symptoms are age and education appropriate. Because of this the CDI serves as an important tool for determining the severity of depression. Yet, the CDI like other assessment methods and modalities should be used with other tools in order to inform diagnosis, its validity and reliability and to establish baselines for progress monitoring (Kovacs, 1992). </p><p>Test Administration, Settings, Scoring and Interpretations</p><p>When the CDI is (Ivarsson, Svalander, & Litlere, 2006) administered by a physician, psychologist or a counselor with experience, the CDI provides the individual with three choices for each question. Each response reveals mild symptoms, moderate ones or the absence thereof.</p><p>These responses reveal contextual clues and in composite offer a more complete picture of the individual, level of depression and associative profile. </p><p>Since each answer has a value from 0-2 and the total score can range from 0-54, the CDI provides a wide range of possibilities and profile types (Kovacs, 1992). Yet, some individuals, settings and circumstances might compel the use of the CDI short form, commonly called the quickscore (Kovacs, 1992). Because it contains only ten questions, the quick score form can more rapidly produce assessments, help researchers and clinicians identify the individual’s profile and serve as a guideline when quick assessments are necessary (Kovacs, 1992). While the longer CDI is more effective in symptom assessment, the short form is not without merits</p><p>(Kovacs, 1992). Both CDI forms, the long and short ones, are based upon five areas. Their total scores interpret levels of (Kovacs, 1992) negative mood, interpersonal problems, ineffectiveness, anhedonia or the inability to experience pleasure from activities and/or experiences that were once enjoyable, and negative self esteem. </p><p>Scoring and Evaluation</p><p>Once the individual completes the short or long form, form (Kovacs, 1992) CDI results are calculated by adding the scores for each scale assigned to each item. These total and factor scores are then transferred to the profile form (Kovacs, 1992). In turn, the scoring is then performed by a computer program, regardless of computer-based or paper form CDI administration. Accordingly, the CDI uses interscore reliability. While this increases reliability and thereby heightens the chances of accuracy, certain steps.</p><p>Because the CDI, like all other assessments has certain deficiencies, a clinical interview must be conducted before the CDI evaluation is administered. Together the clinical interview and the CDI results inform the diagnosis and its reliability. Nevertheless, multiple assessments conducted in the same setting; i.e., environment and circumstance yield the most accurate results.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Understandably, the CDI is a useful assessment tool, flexible enough to accommodate children between the ages of seven and seventeen. Yet, has proven useful in a wide range of settings and environments and among the college age population (Ivarsson, Svalander, & Litlere,</p><p>2006). Since it is also available in Spanish, requires at least a first grade reading level and takes only 10-15 minutes to administer, its uses understandably include primary care facilities and educational institutions (Kovacs, 1992). References</p><p>Ivarsson, T., Svalander, P., & Litlere, O. (2006). The children’s depression inventory (CDI) as </p><p> measure of depression in Swedish adolescents. A normative study. Nordic Journal of </p><p>Psychiatry, 60 (3), 220-226. doi: 10.1080/08039480600636395</p><p>Kovacs, M. (1992). Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Mental Health Systems . Retrieved from </p><p> http://www.pearsonassessments.com/HAIWEB/Cultures/en-us/Productdetail.htm?Pid=015-8044-</p><p>762</p>