The Nature and Study of Depression in Children and Adolescents

Low Socioeconomic Status and Mental Disorders: A Longitudinal Study of Selection and Causation during Young Adulthood

“…These are the disorders that have received the most sociological attention in studies of adults, and our study of adolescents serves to complement this literature. The applicability of adult anxiety and depression symptoms to adolescents was once a matter of controversy (Rutter 1986), but is now generally accepted in the field (Reynolds 1992). …”

What Works with Children and Adolescents?

“…There is strong evidence that both genetic and family environment factors contribute to the etiology of depression (Reynolds & Johnson, 1994) …”

Children and Adolescents

“…Major depression is a recurrent condition involving low mood; selective attention to negative features of the environment; a pessimistic cognitive style; self-defeating behaviour patterns; a disturbance of sleep and appetite; and a disruption of interpersonal relationships (APA, 1994;WHO, 1992;Harrington, 1993;Kovacs, 1997;Reynolds & Johnson, 1994). In community samples prevalence rates of depression in preadolescence range from 0.5% to 2.5% and in adolescents from 2% to 8% while 25% of referrals to child and adolescent clinics have major depression.…”

“…There is strong evidence that both genetic and family environment factors contribute to the etiology of depression (Reynolds & Johnson, 1994). Parental criticism, poor parent-child communication and family discord have all been found to be associated with depression in children and adolescents.…”