Question:
I'm curious about a child that I know. She is ten years old, very
hyperactive. She is also
very expressive, participates highly in classes, loves attention and will
perform for social praise and tokens, and certainly doesn't display any
depressed affect. She loves to be the center of attention. She also has
very decided opinions and if she doesn't want to do something, she won't do
it -- she'll do exactly as she wants, and only what she wants. Now, this doesn't seem to be the affect of a depressed child to me.
On the other hand, I really don't know -- I'm not a psychologist -- so
here's the question: could it be?
Answer:
Additionally, for children, agitation and irritability (like crabbiness)
are diagnostic signs. I can't remember the other criteria specific to
children -- Paul's list is most applicable for adults (though, of course,
there is overlap in presentation, esp as the child gets older).I can think of many problems arising from such a childhood. Depression
not in the first place, however. Yet, should she respond positively to
tokens and social praise, I think there is no reason to assume a
depression. Should she, on the other hand, show signs of dysphoria,
intestinal dysfunctions and other physical signs of a clinical depression,
then there may indeed be one. Yet, in that case, there is little reason
to attribute it to the childhood- or social cirmumstances, since the
clinical depression is most probably an endogenous deviation, with
not really good prospects for recovery (pharmacological treatment
indicated).
