Child and Adolescent Depression

Early onset depression is prevalent and causes significant morbidity, mortality, and psychosocial impairment. Evidence-based psychosocial and psychopharmacological treatments are available for depressed youth, but many children and adolescents do not receive sufficient treatment. Pediatric and adult depressive disorders involve essentially the same symptoms, with the exception of irritability, as depressed youth may present with irritable mood in the absence of explicit sadness. This chapter examines aspects of depression that are unique to children and adolescents. It focuses on diagnosis and symptomatology, epidemiology, and pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and other treatments. The chapter also addresses barriers to treatment of early onset depression and future research directions.