Development of Child Depressive Symptoms Assessment Scale

Objective: The aim of this study is to develop a new measurement instrument for understanding the depressive symptoms among preschool children. Methods: The study population included mothers of 1716 children who are 37-80 month-old from Istanbul. The Children's Depressive Symptom Assessment Scale draft form and Demog-raphic Information Form, Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Short Form were used as data collection tools. Results: Content validity, construct validity, criterion validity and normal and psychiatric group comparison, internal consis-tency, item analysis and test-retest reliability studies were performed in the stages of the scale development. According to the explanatory and confirmatory factor analyzes, it is verified that the scale has 56 items and an eight-dimensional structure. These dimensions are named as maladjustment to the objective reality, aggression, social adaptation, loss-separation anxiety, early (archaic) anxieties, impulsivity and hyperactivity, deterioration in cognitive processes (attention and learning ability) and somatization. Conclusion: In conclusion, this scale designed based on parental feedback, has been found to be a reliable and valid measure of screening depressive symptoms in children and can be used in the field. [Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2020; 21(0.200): 14-20]