Prevalence of childhood depression: results of the first study in Spain

Prevalence of depressive disorders was studied in 6432 children aged 8-11 years, selected by exhaustive random sampling in four Spanish cities and two rural areas. The number of non-participants was 38 (0.6%). Selection was by a two-stage procedure. At stage I, the Children's Depression Inventory was used to identify a sample for more intensive interviewing. At stage II, children were individually evaluated using a semi-structured interview, the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R). CDRS-R and DSM-III diagnostic criteria were used to define caseness. 1.8% of children met the criteria for major depression, with a further 6.4% being diagnosed as having dysthymic disorder.