Consider the Prevalence of Childhood Depression, Giving Specific Reference to Psychological Treatments for Depressed Students.

Consider the prevalence of childhood depression, giving specific reference to psychological treatments for depressed students.

Depression in childhood or adolescence may be one of the most overlooked and undertreated psychological disorders within the field of mental health. Depression in children and adolescents has become an important issue in research due to its many emotional forms, and its relationship to self-destructive behaviours. Furthermore, depression in childhood or adolescence may be a particularly distressing experience for both the young person and family members or care givers involved.   Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a positive outcome for children and adolescents who are suffering with depression.   Available evidence suggests that while the majority of adolescents recover from a depressive episode within a year, they do not grow out of their mood disorder completely (Harrington, 1993).     Major depression is a recurrent condition and depressed adolescents are more likely than their non-depressed peers to develop episodes of depression in adulthood.   Most experts in childhood psychopathologies (e.g. Achenbach, 1995) agree that there are three main categories of psychological disorders in children and adolescents.   The first two are attention problems which impair the ability to concentrate, also externalising problems including both delinquency and excessive aggressiveness or defiance, in which the deviant behaviour is directed outward.   The third category, internalising problems include problems of depression, anxiety or eating disorders, in which unusual behaviour is largely directed internally.   Children and adolescents who show internalising forms of psychopathology often display signs of having different developmental problems than children with conduct disorders.   The symptoms of depression amongst children and adolescents are persistent feelings of sadness accompanied by impairment in daily functions, such as interacting with...