UNMASKING UNMASKED DEPRESSION - IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS - THE PROBLEM OF COMORBIDITY

The unmasking of childhood depression has stimulated considerable rese arch, but the field has drifted unintentionally toward the reification of childhood depression as an entity. In turn, the reification, often embodied in the form of diagnostic categorization, may contribute to premature closure on our understanding of childhood and adolescent dep ression. One of the major underemphasized characteristics of depressio n is that it rarely occurs by itself in children. Comorbidity is the r ule rather than the exception, and thus, much of what we think we know about the disorder may be shaped by its co-occurrence with other diso rders and symptoms. Accordingly, we discuss the conceptual and measure ment issues in depression in youngsters, identify the extent of comorb idity, and then discuss some of the implications of comorbidity. Sever al research issues are raised concerning exploration of the meaning of comorbidity and its possible origins.