Major Depressive Disorder Among Children and Adolescents

Depression among youths remains a public health concern, particularly because only a fraction of affected youths receive treatment. To obtain treatment, youths with depression must first be identified so that early intervention can occur. Furthermore, investigation of both more effective pharmacological agents and more widespread accessibility of cognitive-behavioral interventions are necessary. To address unmet needs in the identification and treatment of depression among youths, clinical counseling programs are being developed in primary care clinics and in schools to identify and treat depressive symptoms or milder major depressive disorder and have shown promising outcomes thus far in reducing depression and increasing quality of life.