Structure, reliability, and validity of the revised child anxiety and depression scale (RCADS) in a multi-ethnic urban sample of Dutch children.

Mia P Kösters,Hans M Koot,Mai J M Chinapaw,Marcel F Van Der Wal,Marieke Zwaanswijk

doi:10.1186/s12888-015-0509-7

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough anxiety and, to a lesser extent, depression are highly prevalent in children, these problems are, difficult to identify. The Revised Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) assesses self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression in youth.MethodsThe present study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, short-term stability, and validity including sensitivity to change of the RCADS in a multi-ethnic urban sample of 3636 Dutch children aged 8 to 13 years old.ResultsResults indicate that the RCADS is a reliable and valid instrument. The original 6-factor structure was replicated to a fair extent in the present study (RMSEA = 0.048) and internal consistency was good (αs = 0.70-0.96). ICCs for short-term stability were 0.76 to 0.86. Girls and children who indicated wishing to participate in a program targeting anxiety and depression had higher RCADS scores. Sensitivity to change analyses showed that the RCADS can detect changes in anxiety and depression symptoms in children who participated in a preventive intervention. The study showed low agreement between teacher and self-reported internalizing problems, even for children scoring above the 90th percentile of the RCADS, indicating a high level of problems, emphasizing the need to also take child reports into account when screening for anxiety and depression in children.ConclusionThis study shows that the RCADS can yield reliable data on a diversity of anxiety disorders and depression in urban children aged 8–13 from very diverse ethnic backgrounds.Trial RegistrationNetherlands Trial Register: NTR2397. Registered 30 June 2010.

Highlights

Anxiety and, to a lesser extent, depression are highly prevalent in children, these problems are, difficult to identify
Anxiety disorders frequently occur in children, with lifetime prevalence of 15 to 20 % [1], and depression is less prevalent in this age group (0.4 to 2.5 %), its prevalence rises quickly during adolescence [2]
Children with elevated Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) scores at T1 in intervention schools were invited to participate in an intervention targeting anxiety and depression

Summary

Introduction

To a lesser extent, depression are highly prevalent in children, these problems are, difficult to identify. Anxiety disorders frequently occur in children, with lifetime prevalence of 15 to 20 % [1], and depression is less prevalent in this age group (0.4 to 2.5 %), its prevalence rises quickly during adolescence [2]. Childhood and adolescent depression are Despite the fact that anxiety and depression significantly hamper children’s current and future well-being, only a small percentage of children with these problems receive mental health care [4,5,6]. Identifying children in need of treatment for anxiety or depression is difficult for others without information from the children themselves.

Methods

Results

Conclusion