title: Child and adolescent depression: psychotherapeutic, ethical, and related nonpharmacologic considerations for general psychiatrists and others who prescribe.
abstract: Depression is a common, recurring disorder affecting millions of youth at some point before they reach mature adulthood. Given the shortage of and uneven distribution of psychiatrists who have completed specialized fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry, a significant number of depressed youth will receive their pharmacotherapy from general psychiatrists and other prescribers with varying degrees of interest, training, and even willingness to treat children and adolescents. For general psychiatrists who will prescribe antidepressants for minors, knowledge of the training and expertise of nonphysician mental health professionals, the psychotherapies they may employ, and familiarity with school services are essential. Physicians who typically work only with adults will also need familiarity with differing ethical, legal, and regulatory issues and standards applicable to pediatric psychopharmacology. General psychiatrists, pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and others contribute greatly to the care of depressed children, adolescents, and their families, and many find this work to be a very rewarding part of their professional practices.
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 10524 Euclid Avenue, W.O. Walker Building, Suite 1155A, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. mary.dell@UHhospitals.org
authors.forename: Mary Lynn
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000296:Adolescent Psychiatry / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D057828:Informed Consent By Minors / Q000941:ethics; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D056687:Off-Label Use / Q000941:ethics; D010327:Pastoral Care; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012424:Rural Population; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012574:Schools; D012947:Social Work; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents