Interrater Reliability and Measurement Error of the Children’s Depression Rating Scale–Revised in Adolescents

Objective: The Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) is widely used in clinical research to assess depression in adolescents; however, limited research explores its measurement properties. This study aimed to test the interrater reliability of the CDRS-R and describe the corresponding measurement error. Method: A cross-sectional design was used in the context of a controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of help-seeking adolescents (N = 55, ages 13-18 years, inclusive) experiencing depressive symptoms. A research analyst administered and coded the CDRS-R to adolescents through a virtual video-based platform with audio and video recordings. A second research analyst independently watched and coded recordings. The lower bound of the 95% CI of the intraclass correlation coefficient with respect to absolute agreement between 2 independent raters was hypothesized to be ≥0.70. Results: The reliability of CDRS-R was calculated as an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.84 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.91), indicating acceptable reliability. The associated standard error of measurement was 4.67, and the mean difference in scores between raters was 1.13. The limits of agreement were -11.59 to 13.84. Conclusion: The findings provide support for the CDRS-R as a tool with adequate interrater reliability to assess depressive symptoms in adolescents. The measurement error parameters can assist in clinical interpretation of differences in scores when adolescents are assessed by multiple raters. Clinical Trial Registration Information: Effectiveness of an Integrated Care Pathway for Depression: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (CARIBOU-2); https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05142683.