| dc.description.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 sig-
nificant 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 depres-
sion in young people to recognition of the need for better identification
of symptoms, referral on to appropriate services and delivering effective
treatments. | vi |
