...Comparisons of Childhood Depression Measures Depressive disorders are now recognized as a relatively prevalent problem in adolescents as it is one of the causes of morbidity and mortality in this age group (Birmaher, et al., 1996). Thus initial detection of depression should be as early as possible in order to mitigate the impact of the disorder in an individual’s life by positively amending the long-term course of depression. Current research of depression in adolescents have introduced various assessment tools in diagnosing the disorder in children and adolescents. However, determining the most appropriate measure of depression involves several considerations rather than merely selecting one as a test that lacks compatibility in its reliability and validity may result to a false positive or false negative diagnosis (Reynolds & Mazza, 1998). This paper aims to draw on three self-report assessments for depression in adolescents, naming the Child Depression Inventory (CDI), Beck’s Depression Inventory 2nd Edition (BDI-II) and Reynold’s Adolescents Depression Scale (RADS) in reviewing, comparing and contrasting their psychometric properties. Conclusion on the most appropriate assessment for depression in adolescents will be drawn. Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) CDI was originally adapted from Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) by altering its format and language, to measure severity of depression in children age 7 and older (Brooks & Kutcher, 2001). CDI...
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...study of adolescent depression and it's characteristic features has gained a lot more attention and research in recent years, especially due to the fact that the rate of adolescent depression has seemed to have increased of late. A great deal more research has been done on adult depression in the past, thus the study and interpretation of adolescent depression is a relatively new research field in comparison as discussed by Crowe (2006) Adult criteria was used to diagnose adolescent depression in early studies of adolescent depression, which was in the 1970s and 1980s era. The variations in the comparative rates of the presence of particular symptoms between adolescence and adults was found to be rather small by the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project found by Roberts et al. 1995, cited by Crowe (2006). Although there is evidence that children meet adult criteria for depression, there are still uncertainties about the validity of the concept of depressive disorder in children and adolescents found by Harrington (2001) as cited by Crowe (2006) The DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association2000; p. 353) suggests that ‘the core symptoms of a major depressive episode are the same for children and adolescents, although there is data that suggest that the prominence of characteristic symptoms may change with age’ as discussed by Crowe ( 2006) This essay will aim at discussing problems related to identifying, diagnosing and the assessment of adolescent depression, taking into account...
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...Behavioral Cognitive Theories and Techniques Frederick Community College There were several predominant theorists in the cognitive behavioral meta-theory. Each theorist came to their conclusions, were received, and added to therapeutic skills in different ways. Their biographical history allows for a better understanding of how they came upon their conclusions. Their theories add to the understanding of human nature. Their critics expose flaws or oversights in the theories. The techniques used in the action stage of therapy today all have some historical roots in these theories and the theories of others. The overall goal being to focus on making changes in behaviors, thoughts, and feelings while continuing to explore feelings and examine values, priorities, barriers. Behaviorism began when Ivan Pavlov’s dogs began to salivate upon hearing the sounds of food being prepared. Unfortunately this phenomenon ruined his saliva measuring experiment but it contributed the theory of classical conditioning. The theory is that when an unconditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus many times a conditioned stimulus and conditioned response will result. The unconditioned stimulus (US) in Pavlov’s experiment was the food, which caused the dogs to salivate. The unconditioned stimulus normally elicits this reaction. The neutral stimulus, something that does not normally elicit the same reaction as the unconditioned stimulus, was a tone or bell. When the two were presented together the...
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...Depression in Children This paper describes the primary issues that encompass childhood depression as it investigates the illness itself, the methods of treating it, and the current scientific thoughts that frame its modern debate. The result shows three main targets that are associated with childhood depression: 1. Childhood depression is difficult to diagnose; 2. There is not a consensus from among experts as to the efficacy of child self-reporting; and, 3. Treatments of this mental illness vary in intensity and in mode. Depression is a terrible mental state that robs people of relationships and experiences that contribute to contented lives. Every person feels down or sad for short intervals. This is a part of life; however, clinical depression can linger for days, weeks, or months at a time, causing the sufferer to lose interest in family, work, and recreation. We are accustomed to adults who have bouts with depression, but when this illness comes down on the life of a child, it causes us to step back and react with disbelief. We question whether a child can be persistently sad or apathetic, or disengaged. After all, we reason, childhood is a happy time. Maybe it is because of some chemical imbalance in the brain. Maybe it is inherited. Maybe it is the result of a chaotic domestic life. For whatever reason, childhood depression is real and is recognized as a powerful detriment to a child’s wellbeing. The literature reflects are growing...
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...Depression is not an inclination, nor is it a feeling. It is an emotional instability that influences numerous individuals. It has been around for a huge number of years. Depression comes in numerous structures. It influences all races, ethnicities, and religions. Depression is defined as “a condition of mental disturbance characterized by such feelings to a greater degree than seems warranted by external conditions, typically with lack of energy and difficulty maintaining concentration or interest in life”. (New Oxford American Dictionary). Major depressive disorder also known as unipolar depression or recurrent depressive disorder is the most severe depressive disorder out of all of the depressive in my estimation. Major depressive disorder is a condition in which affects a person’s family, work or school life, sleeping, eating and general health. It is important to emphasize that we can understand the mechanics of this disorder and how it affects people with major depressive disorder. Etiology By understanding who gets a particular illness it is possible to better develop methods to control, treat, and prevent a particular condition. However, depression is so widely experienced by so many people it is important to establish the patterns that might further help manage this disorder. It is clear that depression impacts many people personality and professionally, it dramatically reduces the quality and quantity if creative and productive work and often ruining people’s careers...
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...Depression in adolescence has been recognized as a clinical problem for twenty-two years. Many believed that signs of depression were simple behavioral problems that the child would grow out of. Psychiatrists believed that children were both emotionally and cgnitively immature to endure depression. Childhood was considered to be worry free, no true concerns, happy time. Therefore, their problems were not serious enough to be labeled depression. There was never a clear understanding as to how abuse, divorce, and incest could have a long term effect on children. Childhood depression differs in many aspects from adult depression. Decrease in academic performance, withdrawal and rejection of friends and favorite activities are some of the main unrecognized signs. Some may also exhibit hyperactivity, while others complain of exhaustion and illness. Many times these symptoms are thought to be just a phase in their children, and observed as signs of depression. Children of all ages from infancy through adolescence can suffer from a disorder mood. The symptoms tend to change based on the child's level of development. Depression in infants is often determined based on the child’s failure to grow physically, act unresponsively, and inability to thrive. Although it is rarely seen in babies, it is often due to lack of nurturing relationship between the infant and the caregiver. Postpartum depression has the ability to affect the mood of the infant. It affects approximately...
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...Mental illness is a range of mental health condition disorders that affect your mood and behaviour. Depression is a sign of weakness and change in mood that requires medical condition in emotional, physical, and behavioural symptoms you can and should be treated. Types of Depression is Major Depressive Disorder which is most common if people feel sad, hopeless, and lacks focus in their life. Seasonal Depression also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD that is common between the seasons of fall and spring. Postpartum Depression is only in women and is common during the women’s hormone level, after the birth of her child. Bereavement Depression is common after grieving of a loss and often takes weeks, months, or years to recover but,...
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...pression Affects College Students How Depression Affects College Students Nikki M. Broadnax Elementary Education Major Abstract The age group of depressed college students is 18 – 32 many students find the adjustment from high school to college difficult. Even the student that seems most at ease with their new lifestyle will often confess to moments of missing their familiar high school friends, family and other comforts of home. A study by UCLA reports that more than 25-30 percent of college freshmen say they feel overwhelmed most of the time in the beginning stages of college. Some students, however, find themselves feeling much more than simply overwhelmed. 2006 college seniors surveyed, the numbers has increased 50% since the 1970s. Unthinking depression has its peak in females between the ages of 18-40, and for males between 21-40, emphasize that depression occurs at all ages. The difference between adult and childhood pictures of depression have been attributed to an inability of the child to verbalized his or her affective state incomplete superego development, and absence of consistent self-representation. How Depression Affects In College Students More than 18 million adults, almost a tenth of the United States population above the age of 17-23, have been found to demonstrate symptoms of a depressive disorder each year (Rosack, July 8, 2010) Depression is defined as a state of intense sadness or despair that has progressed to a level that...
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...be useful in understanding Depression? Shannon Casey PSYC 2301 - Introduction to Psychology R.Richardson Spring 2015 | Tue/Thu LCC Montgomery Campus Abstract Thru out life most people will experience some kind of depression. At times, depression can make life unbearable. Treatment from a psychologist could help learn the reason for the depression and any necessary treatments. The cognitive perspective is concerned with understanding mental processes such as memory, perception, thinking, and problem solving. How can the Cognitive Perspective be useful in understanding Depression? As it is well known, most people will or have experienced some kind of depression in their lives. At times, depression can make life unbearable. Treatment from a psychologist could help learn the reason for the depression and any necessary treatments. DEPRESSION Depression is a mental illness in which a person experiences deep, stable sadness and discontinued interest in nearly all activities. People also use the term depression to describe the temporary sadness, loneliness, or blues that everyone feels from time to time. In contrast to normal sadness, severe depression, also called major depression, can dramatically lessen a person’s ability to function in social situations and at work. People with major depression often have feelings of despair, hopelessness, and worthlessness, as well as thoughts of committing suicide. Depression can take several other forms...
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...This article discusses how certain factors can predict how patients dealing with depression will have different responses to psychotherapy and antidepressant treatments. Several explanations are described, including anterior insula brain activity, a history of childhood trauma and the size of the patient’s hippocampus. The fourth edition of the textbook has many sections that address the topic of depression. Specifically, there is a section that focuses on mood disorders (pp. 462-465), as well as a chapter on therapies which discusses the two kinds of treatments discussed in the article; psychotherapy (pp. 514-515, 535) and antidepressant medication (pp. 539-540). Other interesting topics worth checking out are, learned helplessness (p....
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...2. Based on the symptoms it is evident that the primary diagnosis for Jim would be double depression, since both symptoms of persistent depressive disorder as well as major depressive disorder are presented in the patient’s case. As stated in the DSM-V a persistent depressive disorder is described as a state of “depressed mood for most of the days, for more days than not, … for at least 2 years,” which is present in Jims case for around four years. Some other symptoms of persistent depressive disorder stated in the DSM-V, that were visible in Jim were insomnia, his complaints regarding low energy levels and fatigue, feeling hopeless as well as his low self-esteem and poor concentration. His symptoms clearly cause distress and impairment in...
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...Depression is a mental health condition characterised by feeling intensely sad, low and moody for prolonged periods of time. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders experienced. If depression is not treated or dealt with correctly, it can keep people from functioning normally and affect every aspect of their life, often leading to social isolation, and in the worst case scenario, can result in suicide. According to the Australia Institute of Health and Welfare (2007), a mental disorder affects one in four young people. Of all age groups, 18-24 year olds have the highest prevalence of mental disorders and the leading cause of death in 15-24 year olds is youth suicide (ABS, 2012). In Australia in 2010, mental and behavioural disorders accounted for 12.9% of the total...
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...writer and said he was one oh his top favorites. He also is kind of a "bad person" to his next door roommate Ackley by pointing out all his bad qualities like his pimples and how he was annoying as an introduction of his character in the novel but he showed his good side when he said he was comfortable with Ackley because he actually stayed in Ackleys room one night when he got punched by his room mate Stradler and asked if he could sleep on the vacant bed but he ended up not doing so because the owner might come back and get angry seeing someone sleeping on his bed; anyway, my point is Holden may have a tough outer shell but he has a soft heart in him and he subtly shows it in some part of the novel. Now, the part of him having depression, I say that he has all the reasons to be depressed, his younger brother died of leukemia at a very young age if that was me I would grieve for years at my age now but at his...
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...2. What are the causes of teenage depression? How can teenage depression be treated? According to Focus Adolescent Services, depressive ailment in children and teenagers is defined as an illness when the feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and despair persist and interfere with a child or an adolescent’s ability to function. Depression can describe a normal human emotion; it also is referred to as a mental illness. There are many factors that contribute to depression in teens such as having and making friends, separation or divorce of parents, and breakup of a loved one. Peer relationships contribute significantly to social and cognitive development. In reality, the single best childhood is not receiving good grades, and not classroom behavior, but rather, the ability to get along with another child. Children that are mainly disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive, who are unable to maintain close relationships with other children, and who cannot establish a place for themselves in the peer culture are more susceptible to depression. Teens without friends tend to be more lonely and unhappy. They have lower levels of academic achievement and develop low self-esteem. As the teens get older, they are more apt to drop out and become involved in delinquent activities such as drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and rebelling against authority. Another factor, which contributes to depression, is the divorce of parents. Divorce is a difficult adjustment for...
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...Postpartum depression is a severe form of depression disorder that is related to childbirth and pregnancy. It is also one of the common mental health concern among women and very different from the usual postpartum “blues”. Typically, the depression often starts during the first three weeks after birth and last up to a year. It could cause some severe mood swings and exhaustion for the mothers. The symptoms for PPD is similarly the same as clinical depression and may include specific fear and thoughts about harming the baby. Some of the emotional symptoms that mothers usually experience are unstable emotions, which includes unpredictable crying and sadness, loss of pleasure and excitement, sudden mood swings, feeling guilty and worthlessness,...
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