Depression in childhood and adolescence.

Many people misunderstand or fail to recognize depression in youths. Educators and parents sometimes think a child is not depressed simply because they do not appear sad, but irritability is also a key sign of depression among youth, according to the text-revised fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR, 2022), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Furthermore, school administrators and educators are more likely to refer children to school or clinical psychologists when they observe behavior problems, inattention, or academic problems, whereas internal emotions are harder to recognize and ostensibly do not cause as many problems for those around them. The good news is that there is increasing evidence that depression can be accurately identified and effectively treated or even prevented in youths.