This study investigated the Rorschach and its ability to identify adolescent depression through the current DEPI and CDI, and through a proposed adolescent depression index using Rorschach variables. Past research (Ball et al., 1991; Ilonen et al., 1999; Viglione, 1999) has shown that the Rorschach is a poor predictor of adolescent depression. A sample of 200 non-depressed inpatient adolescents and 77 severely depressed inpatient adolescents made up the extreme groups. The groups were formed by utilizing multiple criteria that was part of a comprehensive battery, but did not include the Rorschach. The current DEPI and CDI were not found to be effective predictors of adolescent depression. In general, the proposed adolescent depression index was not found to be significantly better than the original DEPI. However, variables such as morbid with shading, human content > 3, and AG + Fi + Bl > 3 were significant and distinguished between the extreme groups.
