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Childhood Depression

A Review of Current Research

  • Chapter
Advances in Clinical Child Psychology

Part of the book series: Advances in Clinical Child Psychology ((ACCP,volume 5))

Abstract

The last 20 years have witnessed a major increase in our knowledge of clinical and biological aspects of affective disorders in adults. A substantial amount of information is available to suggest that different subtypes of major affective disorders that differ in clinical picture can be reliably diagnosed by specific operational criteria. These subtypes of affective disorders also differ in very significant ways other than on the basis of their clinical picture. That is, patients with different types of affective disorders diagnosed on the basis of clinical picture also tend to differ in such factors as family history of psychiatric illness; natural history of their disorder; biochemical, neuroendocrine, neurophysiological, and sleep parameters; and differential responses to somatic treatment. Although these data were reviewed earlier (Cantwell & Carlson, 1979), such is the nature of the burgeoning literature in this field that any review tends to become rapidly outdated. The major affective disorders in adults are among the best-studied psychiatric disorders. A great deal of information has accrued concerning the clinical picture, family psychiatric pattern, natural history, treatment, and laboratory characteristics of depression in adult life. This research has led to a more refined classification system and to improvements in matching the proper treatment with the proper patient. It has also led to major advances in likely etiologic factors, particularly of a biological nature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, 90024, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Dennis P. Cantwell

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  1. Dennis P. Cantwell
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Benjamin B. Lahey

  2. Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Alan E. Kazdin

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Cantwell, D.P. (1982). Childhood Depression. In: Lahey, B.B., Kazdin, A.E. (eds) Advances in Clinical Child Psychology. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-9811-0_2

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