title: [The treatment of depression in adolescents, a multi-layered challenge].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is generally accepted that the clinical-psychotherapeutic treatment of severely depressed adolescents is a difficult and complicated undertaking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To gain insight into the various factors, often present simultaneously, which block or undermine the adolescent development phase of separation-individuation and lead to depression, and to find out how the situation can be remedied.
  
  
  METHODS
  The multi-layered hypothesis is developed with the help of case-material and takes exogenous as well as endogenous factors into account.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The investigation has demonstrated that in the treatment of depressed adolescents every possible factor needs to be taken into account if a long-lasting result is to be achieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result is not surprising in view of the crucial developmental stage involved which is focused on the formation of identity. This developmental process cannot be consolidated until all the necessary elements have fallen into place.
authors.affiliation: Belgische School voor Psychoanalyse en van de Vlaamse Vereniging voor Psychoanalytische Therapie, Meulebeke, Belgium. leen.vancompernolle@telenet.be
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Compernolle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007063:Identity Crisis; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome