Scale Overview
The Communities That Care Youth Survey – Depressive Symptoms Scale (CTC-DSS) was developed by Bond, L., Toumbourou, J. W., Thomas, L., Catalano, R. F., & Patton, G. (2000). It is designed to measure Depressive Symptoms. The scale is intended for use with Adolescents (aged 11-16).
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 13 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 0 = Not true, 1 = Sometimes true, 2 = True.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 26. Interpretation guidelines:
- Normal: 0 – 11
- Elevated Depressive Symptoms: 12 – 26
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.85.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 3 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.