This is Part Three in our Winter 2013 blog series Understanding Depression in Kids and Teens…A Primer for Pastors, Church Staff and Christian Parents. Today, we’ll look at the research data describing the impact of depressive disorders on children and teens.

• In prepubescent children, rates of depression are roughly equal in boys and girls. During adolescence, the prevalence of depression explodes…teens are four times more likely to experience depression when compared to school-age children, and adolescent girls are roughly twice as likely to meet criteria for a major depressive episode compared to boys.

• Roughly one out of nine children and teens in the U.S. will experience depression by the time they turn eighteen. Another 5-10% of teens will experience an extended period of depressed mood that falls short of meeting the full criteria diagnostic criteria for major depression. The prevalence of depression in youth peaks at age 16.

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) examines the national prevalence of depression each year through the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Recent surveys have suggested that the prevalence of depression in teens has been relatively stable…at any given point in time, approximately 8% of U.S. kids between the ages of 12-17 are experiencing symptoms of depression.

• Each successive generation since 1940 has been demonstrated to be at increased risk of developing depression, and with each successive generation, the onset of symptoms of depression occurs at an earlier age.

• Depending upon the source of referral, anywhere from 40-90% of children and youth with depression meet criteria for at least one other psychiatric disorder, and according to some reports, 50% meet criteria for two or more psychiatric disorders in addition to depression.

• The mean duration of a depressive episode among kids referred for treatment is eight months, while the mean duration of all depressive episodes among kids in the community ranges from one to two months.

• 70% of children and teens with depression will experience a recurrence of symptoms within five years of their first episode.

• Kids with greater genetic susceptibility to depression also appear to be more sensitive to adverse environmental effects.

• Suicidal thinking and behavior is very common among youth with depression. Approximately 60% of teens diagnosed with depression will experience thoughts of suicide…30% have made one or more suicide attempts.

Photos courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net

Graphics from the National Institute of Mental Health

Today’s recommended resource…Many of the statistics quoted in this post were derived from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry’s Practice Parameter for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Depressive Disorders. The Practice Parameter is an excellent summation of the current standard of care for the treatment of children and teens with depression and also provides a comprehensive review of research findings that support current practices.

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