Definition:
A psychiatric diagnosis indicates that the nature and source of a person's abnormal behavior has been determined, and his behavior pattern has been classified within an accepted diagnostic system.
For a child receiving a major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnosis, the classification system is the DSM-IV.
A diagnosis of childhood depression may be determined through psychological testing.
Sources:
Robert J. Gregory. Psychological Testing: History, Principles, and Applications, 4th Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Group, Inc.; 2004.
