Anyone who has ever been close to a seriously depressed child has undoubtedly been affected by the youngster's vulnerability, misery, and pain. Indeed, it is much like caring for a child who is in physical pain. For the child in the depths of depression, no activity is fun, nothing can be enjoyed, and no one can provide enough consolation or comfort. At times, the youngster may cry or whimper. There may be fits of defiance or rage and sometimes withdrawal into a numb, sullen silence. A child in this state tries the patience of parents and siblings. Remedies of every sort are tried, including gifts, punishments, bribes, lectures, pleading, and a host of others. Such efforts occasionally provide temporary relief, but more often they seem to make matters worse. Commonly, there is an emotional wall of anger and frustration between a depressed child and other fumily members that may inevitably lead to further isolation and withdrawal. If too much time passes without their being helped, many depressed children and adolescents come to believe that suicide offers the only real relief for their pain. Currently, there is a Depression Awareness Week that includes free screening at participating health and mental health settings around the United States and is designed to identify depression in adults, suggesting that society's awareness of depression and psychiatric disorders is focused to a large extent on adults.

Klappentext

This unique handbook provides comprehensive coverage of current studies in child and adolescent psychology and psychiatry that pertain to depression in young people. Contributions from leading psychologists and psychiatrists offers a variety of perspectives on the nature, characteristics, evaluation, and treatment of depression in children and adolescents. Papers discuss developmental models of depression, assessment procedures, psychological and pharmacological treatments, and suicidal behaviors.

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I. Introduction and General Issues.- 1. The Nature and Study of Depression in Children and Adolescents.- 2. Phenomenology and Epidemiology of Mood Disorders in Children and Adolescents.- 3. Adolescent Bipolar Disorder: Phenomenology and Treatment Implications.- 4. The Validity of the Diagnosis of Major Depression in Childhood and Adolescence.- II. Theories and Models of Depression.- 5. Dynamic and Interpersonal Theories of Depression.- 6. Cognitive and Behavioral Correlates of Childhood Depression: A Developmental Perspective.- 7. A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective on Depression in Children and Adolescents.- 8. Neurobiological Aspects of Depression in Children and Adolescents.- III. Approaches to Assessment and Diagnosis.- 9. Classification and Diagnostic Criteria of Depression in Children and Adolescents.- 10. Evaluation of Depression in Children and Adolescents Using Diagnostic Clinical Interviews.- 11. Assessment of Depression in Children and Adolescents by Self-Report Questionnaires.- 12. Assessment of Depression in Children and Adolescents by Parents, Teachers, and Peers.- 13. Informant Variability in the Assessment of Childhood Depression.- IV. Treatment Approaches.- 14. Psychological Treatment Approaches for Depression in Children.- 15. Psychological Approaches to the Treatment of Depression in Adolescents.- 16. Family Therapy for Depression in Young People.- 17. Pharmacotherapy for Depression in Children and Adolescents.- V. Depression in Special Populations.- 18. Depression in Infants.- 19. Depression in Medically Ill Youngsters.- 20. Depression in Special Education Populations.- VI. Selected Topics in the Study of Depression in Young People.- 21. Children of Parents with Affective Disorders: Empirical Findings and Clinical Implications.- 22. Maltreatment and Childhood Depression.- 23. Psychosocial Stress and Child and Adolescent Depression: Can We Be More Specific?.- 24. Suicide and Suicidal Behaviors in Children and Adolescents.- 25. Comorbidity of Depression in Children and Adolescents.