Violence and Depression in Adolescents - Depression in Adolescents

Written by M. Allan Cooperstein, Ph.D.

In a excellent review of adolescence literature, Arnett (1999) identifies three major areas of difficulty in adolescence: (1) conflict with parents, (2) mood disruptions, and (3) risk behavior. He asserts that, although current evidence indicates that biological changes contribute to adolescent problems, far too little is known about these factors to make definitive statements about their role. He refers to delayed phase preference, adolescents' preference for staying up late and sleeping late (recall Ronny's sleep phase change), as one sign of a biological effect. This leads to the hypothesis that an adolescent's adjustment to school scheduling demands may contribute towards sleep-deprivation that feeds into mood disruptions and more parental conflicts.

From a cultural perspective, Arnett says that pubertal changes do not make the stormy aspects of adolescence inevitable. He reports a recent study in which most traditional cultures experience less adolescent stress when compared with the West, although such stress is not completely unknown. Differences are noted among traditional cultures, with those that exclude adolescent boys from the activities of men as being more likely to have problems with their adolescent boys than cultures in which boys take part daily in men's activities.

Arnett concludes that anticipating adolescent stresses may instigate parents and other adults to plan how best to approach possible adolescent problems and be pleasantly surprised if none appear.

The Warning Signs of Depression

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Adolescents are exemplified by quickly changing moods and behaviors. It follows that careful scrutiny is necessary to identify differences between depressive and normal behaviors. The vital aspect in recognizing depressive disorders is that the behavioral change lasts for weeks or longer. Adolescents showing 4 or more symptoms of depression for longer than a few weeks, who do poorly in school, who seem withdrawn, overly impulsive, and uninterested in activities once enjoyed, should be checked for possible depression through screening with qualified professionals.

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.
• Showing or describing their mood as sad.
• This may be shown as irritability rather than depression
• Poor appetite or overeating.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia.
• Low energy or fatigue.
• Low self-esteem.
• Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions.
• Feelings of hopelessness.
• Low interest .
• Self-criticism, with the self-concepts of being uninteresting, incapable, or ineffective.

The Warning Signs of Violence

APA and MTV worked jointly to provide youth with information about identifying warning signs of violence and what to do to obtain assistance if they recognized such signs in themselves or peers. (http://helping.apa.org/warningsigns/about.html)

• History of violent or aggressive behavior.
• Serious drug use or alcohol use.
• Gang membership or strong desire to be in a gang.
• Access to or fascination with weapons, especially guns.
• Threatening others regularly.
• Trouble controlling feelings like anger.
• Withdrawal from friends and usual activities.
• Feeling rejected or alone.
• Having been a victim of bullying.
• Poor school performance.
• History of discipline problems or frequent run-ins with authority.
• Feeling constantly disrespected.
• Failing to acknowledge the feelings or rights of others.