A Cross-Cultural Evaluation of Depression in Children in Egypt, Kuwait, and the United States

Abstract

The English version of the Arabic Children's Depression Inventory, constructed by Abdel-Khalek, was applied to a sample of 535 U.S. students (11 to 18 years old). Cronbach coefficients alpha were .88, .90, and .89 for boys, girls, and all subjects, respectively. Seven factors were extracted by principal axis factor analysis (Negative mood and self-depreciation, Fatigue, Lack of loneliness, Sleep problems, Weak concentration, Pessimism, and Feeling happy), denoting clear factorial structure; however, the scale was intended to be unidimensional. Sex and racial differences for this American sample were not statistically significant but the correlation of depression scores with age was .22. The scale appears useful in studying depression in American school children and adolescents. Also, cross-cultural differences in childhood depression between samples from Egypt and Kuwait of previous studies and the present American sample were examined. Based on the effect size, female Kuwaiti had a lower mean depression score than either the Egyptian or American groups. The scale can be used in cross-cultural research.

Depression Symptoms among Omani Children: Age and Sex Differences

“…For example, Abdel-Khalek (2003) found that Kuwaiti girls reported higher scores than Kuwaiti boys on the total depression scale and on all subscales, with the exception of weak concentration. Additionally, in a cross-cultural comparison study, Abdel-Khalek and Soliman (1999) found no sex differences for depression in the American sample, but did find sex differences for the egyptian and Kuwaiti samples. egyptian girls had a higher mean score on depression than egyptian boys, while Kuwaiti boys had a higher mean score than girls.…”

“…Similarly, Afifi (2006) found that egyptian girls reported more depression than egyptian boys, and Omani boys reported more depression than Omani girls. these differences could be due to many factors, including differences in the measures used or cultural differences in acknowledgement of depression, sample characteristics, and study methods-particularly age, research design, and methods of case ascertainment (Abdel-Khalek & Soliman, 1999;tepper, et al, 2008).…”

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Child Depression Inventory for use in Tanzania with children affected by HIV

“…The absence of information on the validity and reliability of instruments is particularly acute in Tanzania. The validation of instruments across different cultural groups is crucial to provide evidence of the scales sensibility to cultural diversity (Abdel-Khalec & Soliman, 1999). The information provided by the screening scales is critical for the decision-making process, as it enables practitioners to differentiate people with mental disorders from those without, and to identify those disorders that may need immediate intervention.…”

Psychometric Parameters of the Spanish Version of the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (S-KUAS)1

“…Similarly, Tomás-Sábado and Gómez-Benito (in press) have developed and validated the Spanish Death Anxiety Inventory. Thus, cross-cultural comparison of personality and psychopathology, based mainly on university undergraduates, has become more common with the help of these scales (see e.g., Abdel-Khalek & Lester, 1999, Abdel-Khalek & Soliman, 1999; Lester & Abdel-Khalek, 1998).…”