Depression in childhood: a survey of the literature

Unlike adult depression, childhood depression is still a controversial concept in psychiatry. This paper explores and discusses the various issues involved in the controversy. Empirical evidence from epidemiological surveys and clinical studies is examined systematically. A brief survey of the literature over the last fifty years is given. The latest clinical study by Pearce (1974) is highlighted as it demonstrates how the condition can be systematically investigated. Despite conflicting findings, the available evidence, on balance, suggests that childhood depression does exist; it is rare in middle childhood, rarer still in the pre-school period of life but more common in adolescence. Although research findings have begun to give support to the diagnosis of childhood depression, its validity is far from being proven. Obviously, further research is needed.