Commorbidity of major depressive dysfunction in adolescents. Prevalence, severity of the illness and psychosocial functioning

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the main diagnostic category in adolesce nts. MDD has been related to great comorbidity with several other psychiatr ic disorders, such as: attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), behaviour disorder (CD), dysthymic disorders (DD) and others. The psychosoc ial functioning and the severity of the symptoms seem to be directly relate d to comorbidity. The goals of this investigation were to determine the pre valence and the comorbidity patterns of MDD and its relation to psychosocia l functioning and to the severity of the illness evaluated with the LIFE-ME X and Birleson Scales, respectively. Using the Adolescents Semistructured I nterview, 129 adolescents were evaluated: 50 (38 %) manifested MDD. The mos t important comorbidity was with ADHD (54 %) and DD (40 %). We found larger comorbidity in males (P<0.01). Comorbid adolescents with DD showed a worst psychosocial functioning (P = 0.04) and more severe depression symptoms (P =0.004). Comorbidity of MDD is very common; almost 90 % of the adolescents suffer from other psychiatric disorder. This comorbidity represents a decre ase in psychosocial functioning and an increase in the severity of the symp toms.