The Role of Psychological Well-being in Childhood Interventions

Abstract

(create) A number of studies have documented the high prevalence of psychological difficulties in children and adolescents. In an international meta-analysis of population-based studies, it was found that in all cultures depressive disorders were higher for adolescents than children and for adolescent girls than boys. Prevalence of depression increases with age and more than doubles at puberty. Nearly 20 % of youth may experience a depressive disorder by the end of adolescence. Further, depression ranks as one of the most disabling disease worldwide, as measured by its impact on quality of life. Many affective disorders in adults have their onset in early-to-late childhood and symptoms/syndromes of anxiety seem to be the earliest of all forms of psychopathology. However, most of these data are referred to children and adolescents living inWestern societies, whereas a paucity of studies are concerned with children living in the Third World or developing countries, where most of the world's young generations actually live. According to available data, several epidemiological reports identified that in resources-poor countries the types of disorders were generally no different from those encountered in industrialized countries and similar prevalence levels have been reported both in Western societies and in developing countries such as Nigeria, Arab Emirates, Sudan, Philippines, India and Colombia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in different cultural contexts have suggested a developmental relationship between the disorders. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential, but recent data show that, even in developed countries with well-organized health care systems, there is a significant gap between the number of children who need mental health services and those who actually receive professional help. In many countries mental health services for youth represent a subset of adult services rather than a distinct category and 10-20 % of kids who suffer from a psychiatric disorder are identified by primary health workers, suggesting that those children do not receive proper diagnosis and care. Child and teenager mental disorders, more than many other illnesses, have longstanding costs to society both in terms of healthcare utilization and social services. An improvement in identification and treatment of them would therefore have important public health implications. This chapter discusses the role of well-being in the treatment of emotional problems in children and adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved)