Treating Child and Adolescent Depression

A Handbook for Children's Mental Health Practitioners

by Linda L. Baker & Lynda Ashbourne (with consulting psychiatrist Margaret Steele) (2002)

Child and adolescent depression is a serious condition that can have both short term and long term impacts on young people and their families. The handbook was prepared for Children's Mental Health Ontario as part of their Evidence-based Practices Project to promote the recognition and effective treatment of depression in children and adolescents. This user-friendly resource is designed to enhance knowledge about depression and the promising intervention strategies currently being used to treat it. Child and youth counsellors and other professionals will use the strategies in residential and community-based settings. A tool kit with checklists, treatment objectives, and worksheets facilitates risk assessment for suicide, safety planning, and interventions to manage and reduce depression. 150 pages.

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Treating Child and Adolescent Depression

Table of Contents

• Assessment, Consultation and Safety Planning

  • What is depression?

    • descriptive definition

    • disgnostic criteria

    • rate of occurrence and gender differences

    • disorders which may occur along with majpor depressive disorder

  • Multi-disciplinary consultation

    • who provides consultation

    • when to access consultation

    • how to get the most out of consultation

    • case example 1

    • case example 2

    • references

  • Safety planning

    • collaborative practice

    • risk assessment

    • safety plans

    • alternate placement and consultation with physician

    • ongoing evaluation

    • case example

    • references

• Promising Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Depression

  • The research on treating depression

    • what is evidence-based practice and why is it important?

    • outcome studies

    • summary

    • references

  • Promising practices

    • cognitive behavioural therapy

    • family interventions

    • pharmacotherapy

    • integrative approaches

    • references

  • Identifying and learning to modify cognitive distortions

    • some common cognitive distortions

    • strategy for modifying cognitive distortions

    • applications

    • case examples

    • references

  • Modifying maladative behaviours and adopting constructive coping mechanisms

    • descriptions of maladaptive and adaptive behaviours

    • strategies for modifying behaviours

    • applications

    • case examples

    • references

  • Identifying and addressing issues related to loss and trauma

    • description of issues

    • strategies for addressing issues related to loss and trauma

    • applications

    • case example

    • references

  • Family interventions

    • why meet the family?

    • how to include family members in your work

    • a context for respect

    • when other family issues get in the way

    • family interactions

    • education

    • listening to what the family has to say

    • goals

    • applications

    • case examples

    • references

• Other Helpful Material

  • Frequently Asked Questions

  • Glossary

  • Appendix: Toolkit

    • symptoms of child and adolescent depression

    • preparation for multi-disciplinary consultation

    • indicators of suicide risk

    • key elements of assessment for suicide risk and suicidal ideation

    • safety planning

    • safety agreement checklist

    • a safety agreement

    • identifying cognitive distortions

    • treatment strategies for modifying cognitive distortions

    • strategy plan for use of role plays

    • changing behaviours

    • family interventions

    • client worksheet -- setting goals

    • client worksheet -- challenging faulty thinking

    • client worksheet -- problem solving

This handbook is available from Children's Mental Health Ontario and can also be purchased from the Centre for $30.00 plus shipping and handling. Check out the Publication Order Form for details. We accept VISA and MasterCard.

Also of interest...

Adolescent Depression & Suicide: Increasing Understanding to Enhance Intervention (2002) by Linda Baker, Lynda Ashbourne and Cindy Male. A resource funded by Ontario's Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services. As many as 8% of teens are affected by severe depression. This booklet presents the indicators of depression, factors to consider when evaluating risk for suicide, approaches for supporting depressed adolescents, and intervention strategies. Factors to consider when evaluating risk for suicide include intent, plan, method, behaviour, substance use, history, and trigger events. There are two real-life testimonials, from a 14-year old boy and the mother of an adolescent girl.