Prevalence and risk factors for depression in children: an outpatient pediatric sample.

The purpose of this research was to study the prevalence, type, and psychosocial stressors associated with depression. The subjects were 81 children who came to the outpatient pediatric clinic, Chulalongkorn Hospital. There were 39 boys and 42 girls with the age range of 9.3-15.3 years. The results of the study were as follows. The prevalence of depression was 34.6 per cent. Types of depression were depressive symptoms only, 7.4 per cent; adjustment disorder with depressed mood, 17.3 per cent; dysthymia, 6.2 per cent; and major depression, 3.7 per cent. Females had more severe symptoms than males. Of the depressed group, 60.7 per cent had previous suicidal behavior compared with 20.6 per cent in the non-depressed group (p < 0.001). The rates of all psychosocial stressors were higher in the depressed group. Those with statistical significance were parental psychiatric illness, unstable living condition and history of abuse. Depressed children also experienced twice the number of psychosocial stressors compared with the non-depressed group (p < 0.01). This study shows that depression is prevalent in children with physical illnesses. It is imperative that physicians be aware of this problem especially in children who have many psychosocial stressors.