Depression in Maltreated Children and Adolescents

• Published in: Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America Vol. 28; no. 3; p. 289
• Main Authors: De Bellis, Michael D, Nooner, Kate B, Scheid, Jeanette M, Cohen, Judith A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Adolescent; Child; Child Abuse; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - therapy; Humans; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; United States; Wounds and Injuries; United States; Self-injury; Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); Children; Maltreatment; Trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy; Adolescents; Suicide; Depressive disorders
• ISSN: 1558-0490
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chc.2019.02.002

Maltreatment affects 9.1 to 17.1 of every 1000 US children and adolescents. Maltreated youth are at high risk for depression. Clinicians should screen young patients for maltreatment history. Depressed maltreated youth are at high risk for treatment resistance. Combination treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with a trauma-informed approach should be considered for depressed maltreated youth. Behavioral management can be integrated with trauma-focused CBT to treat the externalizing disorders that commonly occur in maltreated depressed youth. If one approach is unsuccessful, a change to another medication or type of evidence-based psychotherapy or intervention is indicated.