ABSTRACT
In cases of depressive disorders that meet the criteria for clinical depression, the condition is thought to be no different from adult depressive disorders. In clinical depression the symptoms are more numerous and more severe and are frequently accompanied by social, family and educational impairments. Psychotic symptoms are uncommon in adolescent depression. For a diagnosis of clinical depression to be made there should be evidence of: significant symptoms of depression; personal suffering or distress; and significant impairment in educational, social and other areas of functioning. Several rating scales, such as Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), and Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, have been designed to assess depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. The CDI is a self-rating scale consisting of 24 items marked on a Likert Scale, ranging from 'Never' to 'All the time'. The course of adolescent depression shows an episodic nature characterised by high rates of recovery from episodes but with high rates of relapse and continuity into adulthood.
