Medical Health Encyclopedia

Adolescent depression

Long-term depressive illness usually has its onset in the teen or young adult years -- about 15-20% of American teens have experienced a serious episode of depression, which is similar to the proportion of adults suffering from depression.

Adolescent girls are twice as likely as boys to experience depression. Risk factors include stressful life events, particularly loss of a parent to death or divorce; child abuse - both physical and sexual; unstable caregiving, poor social skills; chronic illness; and family history of depression. Depression is also associated with eating disorders, particularly bulimia.

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MacKenzie DL, Gover AR,  Armstrong GS, Mitchell O. A National Study Comparing the Environments of Boot Camps With Traditional Facilities for Juvenile Offenders. Washington, DC. National Institute of Justice, US Dept. of Justice; 2001.

Borque B, Han M, Hill S. A National Survey of Aftercare Provisions for Boot Camp Graduates. Washington, DC. National Institute of Justice, US Dept. of Justice; 1996.

Bottcher J, Isorena T. First-year evaluation of the California Youth Authority Boot Camp. In: D MacKenzie, E Herbert, eds. Correctional Boot Camps: A Tough Intermediate Sanction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, US Dept of Justice; 1995.

MacKenzie D, Souryal C. Multi-site Evaluation of Shock Incarceration. Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice, US Dept of Justice; 1994.

Peters M, Thomas D, Zamberlan C. Boot Camps for Juvenile Offenders Program Summary. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, US Dept of Justice; 1997.

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