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 The C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health
asked a national sample of parents with children in middle, junior
high, or high school about their views on the role of parents and
schools in recognizing youth depression.
Even though the majority of parents were confident they would
recognize depression in their preteen or teenager, two-thirds of
parents still said they faced challenges spotting specific signs and
symptoms of this mental health disorder.
"In many families, the preteen and teen years bring dramatic changes
both in youth behavior and in the dynamic between parents and
children," poll co-director Sarah Clark of the University of
Michigan said in a statement. "These transitions can make it
particularly challenging to get a read on children's emotional state
and whether there is possible depression."
There can be a gap between having a general knowledge of the signs
and symptoms of depression, and being able to determine the point at
which a child's pattern of behaviors suggests the possibility of
depression, the poll results suggest.
Another challenge for parents is that signs of depression can vary.
For some youth, a key sign will be sadness or isolation, while
others might exhibit anger, irritability, or acting out.
Forty percent of parents struggle to differentiate between normal
mood swings and signs of depression, while 30% say their child is
good at hiding feelings.
Still, a third of parents said nothing would interfere with their
ability to recognize signs of depression in their child.
"Some parents may be overestimating their ability to recognize
depression in the mood and behavior of their own child," Clark said.
"An overconfident parent may fail to pick up on the subtle signals
that something is amiss."
Still, the poll results suggest that many adolescents are familiar
with depression because they have encountered friends or classmates
with this mental health disorder.
One in four parents say their child knows a peer or classmate with
depression, and one in 10 say their child knows a peer or classmate
who has died by suicide.
Indeed, rates of youth suicide continue to rise. Among people ages
10 to 24 years old, the suicide rate climbed 56% between 2007 and
2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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"Our report reinforces that depression is not an abstract concept
for today's teens and preteens, or their parents," Clark said. "This
level of familiarity with depression and suicide is consistent with
recent statistics showing a dramatic increase in suicide among U.S.
youth over the past decade. Rising rates of suicide highlight the
importance of recognizing depression in youth."
Compared to the ratings of their own ability, parents polled were
also less confident that their preteens or teens would recognize
depression in themselves.
Parents should stay vigilant on spotting any signs of potential
depression in kids, which may vary from sadness and isolation to
anger, irritability and acting out, Clark advised. Parents might
also talk with their preteen or teen about identifying a "go to"
adult who can be a trusted source if they are feeling blue, Clark
suggested.
Most parents also believe schools should play a role in identifying
potential depression, with seven in 10 supporting depression
screening starting in middle school.
"The good news is that parents view schools as a valuable partner in
recognizing youth depression," Clark said. "The bad news is that too
few schools have adequate resources to screen students for
depression, and to offer counseling to students who need it."
Clark encouraged parents to learn whether depression screening is
taking place at their child's school and whether counseling is
available for students who screen positive. Given the limited
resources in many school districts, parents can be advocates of such
efforts by talking to school administrators and school board members
about the importance of offering mental health services in schools.
The nationally representative Mott Poll report is based on responses
from 819 parents with at least one child in middle school, junior
high, or high school.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/37gCQ0b C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National
Poll on Children's Health, online November 18, 2019.
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