1st essay:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, childhood depression has been taken more seriously over the last two decades. While no single factor may explain the cause of depression in youth, a number of different theories exist. As with many types of mental illness, a combination of factors usually contributes to the cause of depression.
Genetic Factors
As the prevalence of depression occurs at a higher rate for children that have family members who suffer from the disorder, a genetic component likely exists. Drs. Rita Wicks-Nelson and Allen Israel write in "Behavior Disorders of Childhood" that even though genetics play a partial role in the cause of depression, environmental factors influence its development. So while a child may carry a genetic predisposition for depression, what happens to him in life determines whether a problem with the disorder will develop.
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Biological Factors
Dr. Kenneth Merrell writes in "Helping Students Overcome Depression and Anxiety" that little research exists regarding the biological causes of depression in youth. Chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters appear associated with the development of depression. Deficient or excessive amounts of these chemicals may cause depression in children. Additionally, imbalances in hormone levels may have a role in the development of depression in children.
Family Influences
Dr. Merrell indicates that problems with a child 's family contribute to an increased risk of depression. These include poor communication and conflict-resolution skills, high conflict, violence or abuse and strained family relationships.
Drs. Wicks-Nelson and Israel state that children who grow up with a parent suffering from depression possess a higher risk of developing the disorder themselves. Besides the possible presence of a
Links: (Julius Richmond Lecture, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, November 21, 1997, italics added) Depression, according to the National Institutes of Health, occurs with greater frequency among teenagers today than in the past For a diagnosis of depression based on the DSM-IV (1994), the following signs would be observed over a 1-year period in adolescents: * Chronically depressed mood occurring for most of the day, more days than not.