ABSTRACT
Until the 1970s it was generally believed that depressive disorders as seen in adults were rare in childhood. Depressive symptoms were considered a normal part of adolescence. Mood swings, low mood and irritability were seen as the consequences of developmental changes involved in the onset of puberty and adjusting to increasing independence and role changes. Studies in the 1970s and 1980s (Puig-Antich, 1982; Pearce, 1978; Weinberg et al., 1973) showed that depressive disorders occurred before adulthood. It is now recognised that depression can severely impair a young person in many important aspects of their life, school, peer and social relationships, and also will frequently persist into adulthood. In recent years there has been a significant increase in research activity in the area of depression in children and young people but still there are gaps in knowledge compared with the work on adults. The focus of research has moved away from the nature of depression in young people to recognition of the need for better identification of symptoms, referral on to appropriate services and delivering effective treatments.
