Does the Depressive Condition Exist in Mentally Retarded children? : A Study of the Association Between Depression Rating Scales and Mentally Retarded Children

Depressive symptoms were assessed in 89 mentally retarded children admitted in the KONOMI home, using the Hamilton Rating Scal for Depression (HRS) and the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS). Patient aged from 4 to 19, the group consisting of 50 males and 39 females. Fifty patients were unable to communicate by language. Their IQs ranged from 12 to 102 (2 5 patient's IQs were unable to be measured). A phychiatrist and the ward personnel rated the patients on HRS and MADRS. The 13 patients were judged to be mildly depressed by HRS. MADRS scores correlated significantly with HRS scores (r=0.57). IQ did not correlate with either rating scale. The results suggested that the mentally retarded child may suffer from depressive illnesses independent of their IQ.