Assessment Strategies for Screening Depression in Adolescents
Despite adolescents being a high-risk group for depression, the disorder is often under-diagnosed. It is, therefore, essential for health professionals caring for the age group to be aware of the possibility of every adolescent patient having a depressive disorder. One of the most commonly used screening strategies is the use of questionnaires, which are preferred since they are economical and quick (Siu, 2016). Two of the most used questionnaire tools are the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
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Since the questionnaire depends on the adolescent self-report, all responses should be confirmed by the examiner. The author will need to ask additional assessment questions about the depressive symptoms, severity, duration, and any associated impairments (Siu, 2016). For instance, the author will ask: How long have you experienced a low mood? When did you start to experience poor concentration in school? How have the symptoms affected your academic performance? Have the symptoms contributed to other health problems? Do you ever think that you are better off dead? Have you contemplated of ending it all?
Information from the parent is vital since a diagnosis established from several informants has greater reliability and validity. Despite obtaining information from the parent, ethical principles require the examiner to restrain from communicating about the problem with the parent without written consent from the adolescent (Thapar et al., 2012). The clinician should discuss with the adolescent whether to share the health findings with the parents and obtain the written consent. The adolescent should also consent whether the information should be provided once or regularly (Thapar et al., 2012). Nevertheless, the health provider is permitted to discuss with the adolescent’s guardian if there is a medical emergency or if the provider suspects assault, child abuse, or bullying.
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