Advances in the study of mood disorders in childhood and adolescence

Studies summarized in this review explore the nosology, course, and treatment of depression. The observation that depressive disorders in children often occur in conjunction with other psychiatric symptoms seems to affect outcome--in terms of suicidal behavior and possibly recurrence. Family factors seem to contribute to the severity of depressive symptoms, and it is possible that the level of criticism, as operationalized by "expressed emotion," is one of the mediating factors. Unfortunately, although several studies addressed treatment, both psychopharmacologically and psychotherapeutically, it is clear that considerably more research is needed before effective interventions are found for serious and disabling mood disorders in youth.