Adolescent depressive disorders and family based interventions in the Family Options multicenter evaluation: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: There is increasing community and government recognition of the magnitude and impact of adolescent depression. Family based interventions have significant potential to address known risk factors for adolescent depression and could be an effective way of engaging adolescents in treatment. The evidence for family based treatments of adolescent depression is not well developed.

Do help-seeking intentions during early adolescence vary for adolescents experiencing different levels of depressive symptoms?

Purpose: To investigate whether help-seeking intentions for depressive symptoms vary for adolescents experiencing low, mild-to-moderate, and high levels of depressive symptoms.

Methods: A total of 5,362 participants aged 12-14 years had completed the baseline assessment for a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a universal intervention designed to reduce depressive symptoms among high school students. The participants reported their help-seeking intentions in response to a vignette describing an individual experiencing depressive symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of a minor depressive disorder.

Evaluating population-level interventions for young people's mental health: challenges and opportunities.

Aim: To identify key issues relevant to the delivery and evaluation of population-level mental health interventions for children and adolescents.

Methods: The benefits and limitations of clinical, targeted and universal interventions were initially reviewed. Subsequently, experience gained in evaluations of targeted and universal interventions was utilized to identify key challenges that must be addressed by researchers responsible for evaluating population-level interventions and potential solutions to these challenges.

Time demands of caring for children with cerebral palsy: what are the implications for maternal mental health?

Aim: To examine the relationship between maternal mental health problems and the time required by mothers to care for children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Method: Cross-sectional study of 158 mothers of children with cerebral palsy (98 males, 60 females; mean age 11y 3mo, range 6-17y). Gross Motor Function Classification System levels of the children were 37% level I, 20% level II, 9% level III, 12% level IV, and 22% level V.