The symptoms of depression are frequently disruptive to classroom instruction. Depression is a growing diagnosis among school children, especially adolescents, and its implications place students at risk for many externalizing behaviors (Kauffman, 2005).
Kazdin (1990) points out that there is a difference between depressed mood, which commonly occurs in everyday life, and depression as a disability. Teachers can play a significant role in identifying depression in students and are frequently the first professionals to notice a problem (Maag & Forness, 1991).
There is no test for depression, but some behaviors serve as warning signs that a student may need support in dealing with depression. The American Psychiatric Association (2000) lists the following behaviors that are typically linked to depression in children and adolescents:
- Sadness and/or irritability
- Poor appetite or overeating
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Low energy or fatigue
- Feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness
- Poor concentration and difficulty in making decisions
- Thoughts or talk of suicide
Depression is included in a category called mood disorders by the American Psychiatric Association (2000). Depression, obviously, refers to a significantly depressed mood. Dysthymia refers to a less severe type of depression that is not disabling. But mood disorders also include significantly elevated moods or euphoria known as mania, and a third condition called bipolar disorder for individuals who experience "rapidly alternating moods" from one mood (depression) to the other (manic) (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. 333). Individuals now labeled bipolar were once considered manic-depressive and may show these behaviors:
- Abrupt, rapid mood swings
- Periods of extreme hyperactivity
- Prolonged, explosive temper tantrums or rages
- Exaggerated ideas about self or abilities
Factors that may place students at risk for depression include a family history of mental health disabilities, abuse within the family (physical, emotional, or sexual), and parental divorce.
There is a lot of confusion and overlap when it comes to students with mental health disabilities. Depression, for example, may overlap with conduct disorders, attention deficits, impulsivity, and aggressive and other inappropriate behaviors. Many of these students today are lumped together into the attention deficit disorder category that seems to have become a catchall for students who exhibit any misbehavior (see Maag & Forness, 1991; Reynolds, 1991).
-
1
- 2
© ______ 2008, Merrill, an imprint of Pearson Education Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The reproduction, duplication, or distribution of this material by any means including but not limited to email and blogs is strictly prohibited without the explicit permission of the publisher.
Add your own comment
Ask a Question
Have questions about this article or topic? AskToday on Education.com
Popular Articles
- Kindergarten Sight Words List
- The Five Warning Signs of Asperger's Syndrome
- What Makes a School Effective?
- Child Development Theories
- Why is Play Important? Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Creative Development
- 10 Fun Activities for Children with Autism
- Test Problems: Seven Reasons Why Standardized Tests Are Not Working
- Bullying in Schools
- A Teacher's Guide to Differentiating Instruction
- Steps in the IEP Process


Celebrate Memorial Day! Worksheets and Activities About American History
5 Outdoor Games to Play in Under 5 Minutes
Spring Fever! 6 Ways to Settle Kids Down 