Wechsler Performance IQ Deficit in Depressed Children

Abstract

The original analysis of data on 100 consecutive school age children referred for evaluation of school difficulties showed no differences in IQ among the children with depression and those without depression. Reanalysis of those data shows that a significant number of the depressed children (but not the nondepressed children) have a 15-IQ point Wechsler Performance IQ deficit. This supports the contention that a major subgroup of depressed individuals have right cerebral-hemisphere dysfunction.