What children suffer from depression |
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Posted Date: 6/30/2009 |
Blog by: poost |
Viewed: 86
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Category: Mental Health Disorders » Depression |
Depression is common in children as well as adults and is a state of prolonged sadness debilitating the normal functioning of a child. The fact that which children suffer from depression can be predicted on the basis of following etiological factors.
The most important is the role of genetics. The children of parents suffering from depression are more likely to have depression. There is a genetic vulnerability to depression and it tends to run in families .This has been elicited and proved by the study of twins. Monozygotic twins which are more identical genetically have more chances to suffer from depression than genetically different twins. It has been proved through research that depression is genetic and inheritable. This is further proven by the fact that when genetically susceptible children were raised by adopted parents they still had depression. A consensus that Major Depressive Disorder is both familial and inheritable has been proved through various familial and genetic studies.
Another biological factor is associated with abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex of the brain which is the mood centre. Certain abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex of the brain have been found to be associated with depression. Children having depression with no familial tendency are found to have larger prefrontal cortex on the left side of the brain. Although genetics and the size of prefrontal cortex are important factors regarding depression in children but it must be kept in mind that the non biological factors alone can be responsible for depression as well.
Among the non biological factors thinking negatively is an important factor. It increases the likelihood of a child suffering from depression as stated by the cognitive theory of depression. This negative thought pattern is retained even in the stressful events further increasing the vulnerability to depression. It affects the thinking pattern of a child causing all of his perceptions to be negative and the memory based on these perceptions is also based in such a way that it further increases the amount of negativity and stress faced by the child making him further prone to depression. The personal world of the child is based on negativity causing its gloomy effect making him suffer from depression.
If the parents often use intrusive support, it is seen that the children involved in negative self evaluative process tend to suffer more from depression than the children engaged in positive self evaluation processes. It has been seen that the depression is both contributed by the behavior of children as well as by parents. Some parents control the activities of their child psychologically by overseeing the child and observing his behavior whereas others tend to set limits to the emotional and intellectual development of the child. They tend to give positive reinforcement to the children .Studies has shown that the parents treating the child psychologically tend to have a negative effect on the development of the child making him more vulnerable to depression. It makes the child feel that he is incompetent and not doing well whereas by having a control on the child has a positive effect on his behavior giving him confidence on himself and his parents as well.
Other factors that contribute to the development of depression in a child are family problems like that of fights and separation among the parents. The child of divorced parents is more likely to suffer from depression. School problems and medical illness is also known to cause depression. The child of depressed parents is more likely to suffer from depression as well.
All these factors can be helpful to understand that what children suffer from depression.
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