Course of major depression in non-referred adolescents: a retrospective study.
This article reports on a naturalistic study of the course of illness of 38 children diagnosed as having a current or past episode of major depression out of a sample of 275 children who were selected by a method not related to their psychopathology or treatment-seeking behavior. Assessments of the presence of depression and the course of this disorder were made using structured clinical interviews (DICA and DICA-P) and a criterion-based diagnostic system (DSM-III). Longitudinal methods of data analysis included the use of life tables. The proportion of children depressed for 2 years closely resembles the results found in investigations of children who sought treatment for a psychiatric disorder. The probability of remaining depressed in these children was 21% at 1 year after onset, and 10% at the 2-year point. This parallels the rate of chronicity and the decline in rates of recovery which occur over time in adult depression.
Keller
M B
MB
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
Beardslee
W
W
Lavori
P W
PW
Wunder
J
J
Drs
D L
DL
Samuelson
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology