Depression
Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R)
Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) — administration and scoring reference.
Reference information · Official-form reference
- Last content update
- 2026-10-26
- Clinical review
- Not independently reviewed
- Source jurisdiction
- See individual sources
- Coverage
- Official-form reference
| Field | Instrument context |
|---|---|
| Version | CDRS-R; clinician interview; child and caregiver information |
| Population | Children/adolescents; verify age range for selected form |
| Respondent | Clinician |
| Purpose | Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) — administration and scoring reference. |
Administration
A clinician integrates the child interview, caregiver history and observed behavior using the exact CDRS-R manual. Record disagreement between informants rather than averaging their accounts.
Scoring method
Anchored clinician item ratings summed.
Interpretation & limitations
- Track depressive symptom severity with a consistent interview method; the score is one part of a developmental assessment.
- Interpret the findings alongside the clinical interview, functioning, history and relevant physical assessment.
- Use the licensed language-specific manual. A translated edition and its norms cannot automatically replace the English form.
- Use the original instrument and manual for item wording, rating anchors, missing-data rules and any normative conversions. This reference does not establish a diagnosis or select treatment.