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Efficacy of Treatments for Depression in Children and Adolescents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Victoria A.J. Carr
Affiliation:
Monash University, Australia
Candice P. Boyd*
Affiliation:
University of Ballarat, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Candice Boyd, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Ballarat, PO Box 663, Ballarat VIC 3353, Australia. Email: c.boyd@ballarat.edu.au
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Abstract

Depression is a highly complex mental disorder that for many years was believed to be absent in children and adolescents. It is now accepted that depression not only exists in this age group, but also is a major mental health problem (Weller & Weller, 2000a). Research suggests that the prevalence of depression in Australian children and adolescents is around 14% (Boyd, Kostanski, Gullone, Ollendick, & Shek, 2000). As depression appears to be highly prevalent, it is essential that efficacious treatments are identified, and that effective treatment strategies are established that best alleviate depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. In light of this need, this article details the criteria used to identify depression in children and adolescents, and examines the available evidence for the use of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

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