Depression and conduct disorder in native and non-native children.
OBJECTIVE
To compare depression and conduct disorder symptoms between North American Native and non-Native children as rated by teacher, parent, and self-reports.


METHODS
The sample included 1,251 Native children in grades 2 and 4 in four different settings across North America and comparison samples of 457 non-Native children. Parents, teachers, and children rated children's mental health using culturally sensitive measures of depression and conduct disorder symptoms.


RESULTS
According to parent ratings and child self-reports, there were no Native/non-Native differences in levels of conduct disorder symptoms. However, non-Native teachers rated higher levels of conduct disorder symptoms among Native children compared with non-Native students. Children reported higher levels of depression than the adults rating them.


CONCLUSIONS
Results challenge assertions about high levels of psychopathology among Native youngsters. Cultural distance may introduce a negative bias in teacher evaluations of Native children's mental health.
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. dion@yorku.ca
R
R
Dion
A
A
Gotowiec
M
M
Beiser
D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology