The Causes, Prevention and Treatment of Adolescent Depression: A Review

Abstract

Depression is an increasingly common phenomenon among adolescents, and it is a serious mental health problem for adolescents. The objective of this study was to systematically review the causes, prevention, and treatment of adolescent depression. This study was based on a computerized search of the published articles and made a comprehensive literature summary. In particular, this review first summarizes the definition, characteristics, and prevalence of adolescent depression. The next part reviewed potential causes of adolescent depression. This part of the review focused on on predicting causes of adolescent depression from family factors, stressful negative life events, genetic vulnerability, and gender differences. Last, clinical aspects of adolescent depression are reviewed, including treatments and prevention of depression in adolescence. In short, effective treatments and prevention have been found already in treating adolescent depression. Adolescents suffering from depression become more common with different causes. Still, as long as clinicians use early intervention in adolescents with depression, the long-term burden of disease could be reduced.