News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

One of the most significant risk factors for depression in teenagers is having a parent with a history of depression. With that phenomenon in mind, a team of researchers from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College studied the effects of family group cognitive behavioral therapy.

A Vanderbilt News Service article provided the following information about this research effort:

• One hundred eleven parents with current or past depression and 155 9- to 15-year-old children of those parents participated in the study.
  
• The researchers focused on this age group because depression is known to increase in early to mid-adolescence and because the participating children needed to be old enough to learn the coping skills taught in the intervention.
• The cognitive behavioral intervention was delivered to small groups of families in 12 sessions.

Successes associated with the study included the following, VNS reported:

• About 9 percent of the children participating in the intervention experienced a major depressive episode within the 12 months following the study, as compared to almost 21 percent of those participating in the written program.
  
• 40 percent of the parents in the intervention group experienced a major depressive episode during that time as compared to 56 percent of the written group.

Labels: depression, parental influence

Childhood depression may be on the increase because adults misinterpret what makes children happy, according to Dr. Lan Nguyen Chaplain, a professor at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Chaplain, who has spent years studying children's happiness, says that while the issue is complex, her research indicates that relationships can be more important than material things when it comes to a child's happiness.

"We tend to assume that children and adolescents are only interested in expensive material things. But what really makes them happy is spending time with family and friends," Dr. Chaplain wrote. "They resort to finding happiness in material goods when their interpersonal support systems fail."

• Dr. Chaplain interviewed 150 people ages 8 to 18 years old, who told her that people, pets, achievement, material toys, hobbies, and sports are the factors that contribute to their happiness.
  
• Younger children tend to rank family, friends, coaches, and teachers as most important.
  
• Older children kept people and pets in the top positions, but having material toys were more important to them than they were to younger children.
  
• In late adolescence, achievement becomes important to happiness.

"With children being constantly bombarded with images suggesting that slim figures, trendy fashions, expensive toys, or other material goods are solutions to find happiness, it is exceedingly difficult to determine what truly makes children happy", Dr. Chaplain said.

This report appears in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

Labels: depression, happiness

Mothers who are depressed are more likely to physically abuse their children, according to a new study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Dr. Keith Conron and his colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health evaluated data on 5,500 families involved in child abuse investigations, measuring mothers for depression at the beginning of the study, 18 months later and then three years later. About one in four of the mothers had major depression.

• In each of the three surveys, if a mother developed depression over the course of the study, she was more likely to use threats, name-calling and other forms of aggression against her children by an average of two extra incidents the year.
• If a mother's partner abused her, she was more likely to be physically abusive and neglectful of her children.
• If she moved in with a non-abusive partner, she was more likely to do to decrease aggressive her behavior toward children.

Labels: abuse, depression, mothers

Two new studies have revealed that many young people aren't sleeping enough, and that certain sleep patterns are associated with depression.

The first study compared sleep patterns of high school students with the snoozing habits of their college counterparts. College students stay up later and wake up later, but both groups averaged about seven hours of sleep a night.

The most surprising finding was that academic stress was cited most popular reason students did not get enough sleep.

• More than 1,120 Midwestern students ages 17 to 24 years old took the “sleep survey” by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
• About one in four surveyed got less than 6.5 hours of sleep a night, even though pediatricians recommend eight.
• Students who told researchers that they drank before going to sleep averaged 21 alcoholic beverages per week, compared to 12 for others in the survey.

The study appeared in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

In the second study, researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center followed 96 adolescents with no histories of psychiatric disorders for five years.

• Dr. Uma Rao and her colleagues used sleep monitors and collected saliva and urine samples to record participants’ cortisol levels.
  
• Students with higher cortisol levels were more likely to develop depression.
  
• Those who reached the REM stage of sleep more quickly than an average were also more likely to develop depression.

This study was in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Labels: depression, sleep_deprivation, stress, students

Short children are teased only somewhat more than their friends, and such teasing does not appear to affect their popularity or risk for depression, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.

• Dr. Joyce Lee studied 712 sixth-graders using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development.
• The data included reports from the children and their teachers, as well as measures of depression, optimism, popularity, and social support from peers.
• Short children scored slightly higher in self-reports of peer victimization; however, their teachers reported no differences.

Dr. Lee said there wasn't any real emotional difference between short and tall children based on the factors that she evaluated. This study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: bullying, depression

Children with asthma are twice as likely to develop depression as are non-asthmatic kids, according to a new study from the University of Buffalo. The Buffalo researchers also discovered that children with asthma and depression may respond differently to emotional stimuli, and this, in turn, may worsen their asthma symptoms.

Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Beatrice Wood studied 90 asthmatic children ages seven to 17 years old. Half the group also suffered from depression. The children were monitored as they watched scary, sad, and happy scenes from movies.

"Children with asthma and depression symptoms showed a preponderance of parasympathetic over sympathetic nervous system reactivity," Dr. Miller said. "This imbalance could explain the increased airway resistance that we found in depressed asthmatic children in our study."

This study appeared in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Labels: asthma, depression, health risks

High school students who get good grades sleep more efficiently, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Dr. Jennifer Cousins and her colleagues studied 56 teenagers, ages 14 to 18 years old, who complained about their sleep habits. The researchers measured the participants' sleep and asked them about their grades.

• Students who had a high math scores spent less time in bed, had higher sleep efficiency and greater sleep quality, and took less time to fall asleep.
• High scores in English were associated with fewer nighttime awakenings.
• Students who had a hard time falling asleep, especially over weekends, usually had poorer overall academic performance.
• "The more regular and predictable their sleep is, the better they are likely to do when confronted with short-term sleep deficits," Dr. Cousins said.

A previous study from Columbia University found that teenagers who stay up past midnight are at increased risk for teen depression and thoughts of suicide.

Both studies were presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Labels: depression, schoolwork, sleep_deprivation, teenagers

More than eight percent of American teenagers went through a major depressive episode in 2008, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This amounts to about two million children ages 12 to 17 years old.

However, the SAMHSA study indicates that only 39 percent of depressed teens received treatment for their depression. In addition, the vast majority (80 percent) of teens who need treatment for substance abuse are not getting the help they need.

A major depressive episode is defined as lasting for at least two weeks, and includes symptoms such as losing pleasure or interest in life, and having problems with sleeping, eating, energy levels, self-image, and concentration.

Much more than "teen moodiness" or just a typical teen phase, teen depression is a serious and potentially life-altering condition that has been associated with issues including (but not limited to) teen suicide, teen substance abuse, and teen behavior problems.

Labels: depression, teenagers, treatment

Children of parents who have depression and/or anxiety disorders are at high risk for such problems, too. However, two new studies found that therapy could break the generational cycle.

Dr. Judy Garber of Vanderbilt University studied 316 teenagers whose parents had depression in the past or who were currently depressed.

• Half went into weekly group therapy with others their age and the other group had only usual care.
• Almost a third of the group that had usual care developed depression, while only 21 percent of the other group became depressed.
• However, the success rate of the program depended partly on whether the parents were depressed when the interventions began.
• If the parents were actively depressed, the teens were more likely to become depressed during the study period.

"Were we surprised? No. There is evidence in the literature that kids don't respond as well to treatment if the parent is depressed," said Dr. Garber, whose study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

For the second study, researchers from Johns Hopkins Children's Center studied 40 children whose parents had anxiety disorders.

• The children in the study were between the ages of seven and 12.
• These parents attended therapy to recognize when they were being overly anxious or overly protective toward their children.
• After one year, none of the children developed anxiety disorders -- but 30 percent in a control group did.

The Johns Hopkins study appeared in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Labels: anxiety, depression, parents, research

A new report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states that nearly two million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced at least one major depressive episode in the last year. However, only about 39 percent of these depressed young people received any kind of treatment.

A major depressive episode is two weeks or longer with either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or sense of pleasure and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, including problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.( Source: Tulsa World).

Mental health issues still carry a stigma, which prevents many people from seeking treatment. It affects not only the kids who are depressed, but their parents, who tend to minimize the situation or deny that anything is wrong. Left untreated, however, teen depression and other mental health problems can lead to self-medication which can in turn lead to substance abuse and addiction.

Labels: depression, mental_health, teenagers, treatment

A study that was conducted at the University of Illinois indicates that online racism takes the form of discrimination disseminated through instant and text messages, discussion forums, online games, and social networking websites. Also, hate groups propagate false historical information aimed at students who are conducting research.

Dr. Brendescha Tynes and her colleagues found that 29 percent of African-American, 20 percent of white, and 42 percent of multiracial/other adolescents experienced discrimination directed at them online, an experience that caused anxiety and depression in many cases.

Dr. Tynes also found that hate groups are devising websites that contain false information about historical figures such as Martin Luther King and Barack Obama or events like the Holocaust. These sites, she said, are designed to mislead students who are doing research for school papers.

Although Dr. Tynes frames the issue as a public health concern, she does not believe that parents or government should restrict young people's access to the Internet.

This study appeared in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Labels: depression, internet, racism

A new study from the University of Florida found that parents who struggle with depression or an overload of stress might get in the way of their child losing weight.

Dr. David Janicke, assistant professor of clinical and health psychology, studied 96 overweight or obese children in order to find out how parental well-being, bullying by peers, and depression affect the health of these children. He found that all three were linked to a poorer quality of life.

Parents who are struggling with issues of their own have less energy and may not be able to provide the support that an overweight child requires to lose weight, Dr. Janicke said. Therefore, tending to the needs of the parents may be the best way to help overweight children.

"It's important for parents to take time out to take care of themselves," he wrote in a report published in the journal Obesity.

Labels: depression, overweight, parental-involvement

Adolescents who have trouble falling asleep on a regular basis are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and suffer from depression.

Brandy Roane, a researcher the University of North Texas, combed through more than 8,000 interviews that had been conducted with young people ages 12 to 25 years old between 1994 and 2001. About nine percent of those who were surveyed reported having trouble falling asleep every day or almost every day.

Of this sleep-deprived group, 54 percent suffered from depression and 25 percent had suicidal thoughts, compared to 32 percent and 11 percent of those who slept normally. Ten percent of the sleep-problem group had attempted suicide. This group was also more likely to use alcohol (33 percent compared to 22 percent of normal sleepers) and to smoke marijuana (18 percent vs. 11 percent).

This study appears in the journal Sleep.

Labels: depression, drug_use, sleep_deprivation

Scientists at the University of Vermont found a link between social problems in childhood and depression in later life. However, they are unsure if social problems cause depression or vice versa.

Professor Keith Burt led the study using data from Project Competence, in which a group of more than 200 people submitted information over a 20-year period beginning when they were between 8 and 12 years old.

Dr. Burt found that people who were not socially competent as children and teenagers were at greater risk for anxiety and depression, even when he considered other explanations such as social class and intelligence.

Dr. Burt said the study indicates that "youth at risk for depression might benefit from interventions focused on building healthy relationships with peers."

Labels: depression, social-skills

Only 4% of American and European children will experience the sudden death of a parent. However, that event puts them at a threefold risk for depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS).

Dr. Nadine Melham of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School compared 140 children who had lost a parent to suicide, accident, or sudden natural death to children with two living parents. She found that the children who had lost a parent suddenly were at high risk for depression, and that it did not matter if the death was a suicide. The children fared worse if their caregivers were suffering from depression, PTSS, anxiety, or other psychological disorders.

This study appears in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: death, depression, post-traumatic-stress

People who form close relationships with at least one of their siblings during childhood lower their risk for depression as adults, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Professor Robert Waldinger, M.D., of Harvard Medical School analyzed results of an ongoing 68-year study of 229 men that began when they were children. Poor relationships with siblings and a family history of depression could predict if a man would experience major depression and use mood-altering drugs after age 50.

On the other hand, those with a close relationship with one sibling were at low risk for depression, even when Dr. Waldinger factored in other explanations, including parental relationships.

Labels: depression, relationships, siblings

About 14% of teens have symptoms of chronic insomnia, and 46% experience at least some symptoms, according to a study from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. Researchers collected data from over 4000 youths ages 11 to 17, and then followed up on them a year later.

"Our data suggest that burden of insomnia is comparable to that of other major psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse," said Dr. Robert E. Roberts, professor of behavioral sciences. He suggests that teens should have about nine hours of sleep per night, and those with insomnia should be treated by their physicians.

Learm more on how Technology Takes its Toll on Teen Sleep.

Labels: depression, mental_health, sleep_deprivation

Is your teen moody? Does he have a temper? Does she fly off the handle? Blame sleep deprivation, say researchers at Harvard Medical School and University of California/Berkeley.

Most people believe that not getting enough sleep makes people sleepy and lethargic. However, sleep deprivation actually activates the brain's emotional centers most closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression.

Professor Mary Carskadon of Brown University said the new study might have implications for adolescents, who are being diagnosed with depression in increasing numbers.

"We don't know if early sleep deprivation projects out to things like major depressive disorder or bipolar illness and whether we're setting our kids up for these major problems as they grow up," she said.

The Berkeley/Harvard study appears in the October 23, 2007 issue of Current Biology.

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Labels: depression, development, sleep_deprivation

Depending on the type of damage to a certain gene, a person may develop either depression or schizophrenia, according to new research from an international group of scholars from Great Britain, Canada and Japan.

Researchers studied mice with two types of damage to a gene known as DISC1. This gene plays a key role in learning, memory and mood. Depending on the kind of damage to this gene, mice responded more positively to drug treatments used to treat schizophrenia or depression.

Dr. David Porteous of the University of Edinburgh said, "While the causes of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and major depression are unknown, all evidence points to subtle differences in the way the brain develops and to chemical changes in the brain. Our work identified the DISC1 gene as an important risk factor in these types of mental diseases."

Dr. Porteous and others in Great Britain are working with scientists from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada and RIKEN institute in Japan to help pinpoint which patients will respond best to which specific treatments.

Labels: depression, research, schizophrenia

A new study published in the Journal of American Medicine indicates that antidepressant drugs prescribed for children and adolescents have benefits that outweigh their risks.

Other research posed a link between increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. This research caused the Federal Drug Administration to require warning labels on pediatric antidepressant medications.

Dr. Jeffrey Bridge of the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH, found that using such drugs increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors by less than one percent. There were no actual suicides in found in his review of randomized controlled trails involving drugs prescribed to young people suffering from depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and non obsessive-compulsive anxiety.

"The strength of the evidence supports the cautious and well-monitored use of antidepressant medications as one of the first-line treatment options," Dr. Bridges said.

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Labels: anti-depression medications, depression, suicide