Reliability of the Beck Depression Inventory in adolescence

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Unlike that of adults, depression of adolescents need screening because learning ability, physical growth and social adaptation are seriously affected. But Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), the assessment tool for adults, is generally used for adolescents as well because only few are available. The purpose of this study is to examine the reliability of a Korean version of BDI(K-BDI) as a screening instrument of adolescent depression. METHODS: From May 1, 1998 to June 1, 1998 we visited two high schools (one male, one coeducation) in Sungnam city and K-BDI questionnaires were given. The subjects were 1,107 high school students. This study was to evaluate the reliability of BDI and to find out factor structure through analysis. RESULTS: The sex distribution of subjects was 929(83.9%) males and 178(16.1%) females. Cronbach's internal consistency and Spearman-Brown split half correlation coefficient was 0.85, 0.86, respectively, in the male group, 0.74, 0.86, respectively, in the female group and 0.85, 0.86, respectively,in the total group. By principal axis factoring, 4 factors were extracted. Which were factorINegative Self Attitude, factorIIPerformance Difficulty, factorIIIGuilty and Psychomotor Retardation, and factorIVSomatic Symptom. All of the correlations between total BDI score and the individual items showed positive correlation(P<0.001). Average BDI score and prevalence rate was 11.7+/-7.24, 11.4%, respectively, in the male group, 18.51+/-6.65, 34.8%, respectively, in the female group and 12.85+/-7.56, 15.2%, respectively, in the total group. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the K-BDI is a reliable tool in adolescence. Therefore, it may be used as a screening tool for adolescent depression.