Development Implications

Childhood depression
- Symptoms
  - < Age 3: Feeding problems, tantrums, lack of playfulness and emotional expressiveness
  - Ages 3 to 5: Accident proneness, phobias, excessive self-reproach
  - Ages 6 to 8: Physical complaints, aggressive behavior, clinging behavior
  - Ages 9 to 12: Morbid thoughts and excessive worrying
- Precipitated by a loss
- Focus of therapy: Alleviate symptoms and strengthen coping skills
- Parental and family therapy
Adolescence
- Symptoms include
  - Anger, aggressiveness
  - Running away
  - Delinquency
  - Social withdrawal
  - Sexual acting out
  - Substance abuse
  - Restlessness, apathy
- Best clue that differentiates depression from normal stormy adolescent behavior
  - A visible manifestation of behavioral change that lasts for several weeks.
- Most common precipitant to adolescent suicide
  - Perception of abandonment by parents or close peer relationship
- Treatment with
  - Supportive psychosocial intervention
  - Antidepressant medication
Senescence
- Bereavement overload
- High percentage of suicides among elderly
- Symptoms of depression often confused with symptoms of neurocognitive disorder
- Treatment
  - Antidepressant medication
  - Electroconvulsive therapy
  - Psychotherapies
Postpartum depression
- May last for a few weeks to several months
- Associated with hormonal changes, tryptophan metabolism, or cell alterations
- Treatments
  - Antidepressants and psychosocial therapies
- Symptoms include
  - Fatigue/Irritability
  - Loss of appetite
  - Sleep disturbances
  - Loss of libido
  - Concern about inability to care for infant
Transient depression
- Symptoms at this level of the continuum are not necessarily dysfunctional.
  - Affective: The “blues”
  - Behavioral: Some crying
  - Cognitive: Some difficulty getting mind off of one’s disappointment
  - Physiological: Feeling tired and listless

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