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Assessing Adolescent Depression and Anxiety

The document discusses the importance of assessing depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents, highlighting tools like the PHQ-9 and SCARED for evaluation. It emphasizes the necessity of psychotherapy, including play therapy and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, to support adolescents in managing mental health issues. Additionally, it stresses the role of parents in the assessment process and the need for early identification and intervention to prevent self-harm.

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19 views3 pages

Assessing Adolescent Depression and Anxiety

The document discusses the importance of assessing depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents, highlighting tools like the PHQ-9 and SCARED for evaluation. It emphasizes the necessity of psychotherapy, including play therapy and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, to support adolescents in managing mental health issues. Additionally, it stresses the role of parents in the assessment process and the need for early identification and intervention to prevent self-harm.

Uploaded by

kingiristanley0
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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With the increased prevalence of reported cases of depression and suicidal ideation

among adolescents, their assessment is crucial due to the associated potential severity. The

process entails the evaluation of depressive signs, exploring suicidal thoughts, and

comprehending coping strategies. Some of the most important tools include the Patient Health

Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders

(SCARED), which help in the identification of depression and anxiety in adolescents (Jeffrey et

al., 2020). The PHQ-9 is a self-administered screening tool for patients 13 years and older for the

presence and severity of depressive symptoms. At the same time, SCARED is a self-report and

caregiver-report tool for anxiety in adolescents. The two tools promote the comprehension of the

mental health status of adolescents (Jeffrey et al., 2020).

The involvement of adolescents in psychotherapy is essential to help them deal with

mental health problems. Play therapy, which involves using toys and art, enables the child to

express himself or herself nonverbally. This is particularly useful for children who may have

difficulties expressing themselves through words (AACAP, 2019). Similarly, another evidence-

based treatment is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which is based on the enhancement

of parent-child relationships through the process of guided interactions. This can help to decrease

the child’s problematic behavior and increase communication (AACAP, 2019).

Additionally, parents should be involved in the assessment process since they can give

information about the changes in the adolescent’s behavior and mood in different contexts

(AACAP, 2019). According to Shat et al. (2023), with increased rates of high suicide rates

among minors, early identification and management are crucial in preventing them. A

comprehensive assessment of the patient, along with the right kind of interventions, is crucial in

the treatment of depression and preventing the patient from engaging in self-harm.
References

Jeffrey, J., Klomhaus, A., Enenbach, M., Lester, P., & Krishna, R. (2020). Self-Report Rating

Scales to Guide Measurement-Based Care in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Child and

Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29(4), 601–

629. [Link] to an external site.

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2019, April). Psychotherapy for

Children and Adolescents: Different Types.

[Link]

[Link]

Shah, H., Somaiya, M., Chauhan, N., & Gautam, A. (2023). Clinical Practice Guidelines for

Assessment and Management of Children and Adolescents Presenting with Psychiatric

Emergencies. Indian journal of psychiatry, 65(2), 159–174.

[Link]

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