Assessment of Depressive Symptomatology in Young Maltreated Children

Abstract

SUMMARY The present study examined the characteristics of a self-report measure of depression in young maltreated children. Two samples, Foster Care (N= 197) and Clinic Referred (N= 107), of maltreated children between the ages of 3- and 7-years, were administered the Preschool Symptom Self-Report (PRESS). In addition, a subsample of the foster and all of the clinic children between the ages of 4- and 7-years responded to Harter's measure of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance. Finally, caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicate (1) good internal consistency of the measure across samples, ethnic groups, gender, and age (alphas = .86-.89), (2) children removed for physical abuse, younger children and girls were more likely to report depressive symptomatology, (3) self-reported depressive symptomatology was inversely related to self-reported competence and acceptance, and (4) external raters were more likely to agree with each other and with self-reported depressive symptomatology in the youngest children. Thus, some support for the reliability and validity of the PRESS was obtained.