Recognizing and Managing Adolescent Depression
Target Audience: Pharmacist, Physician Assistant, Physician
Course Overview
This course presents a comprehensive review of up-to-date guidelines and evidence-based practices for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of depression among adolescents. Beginning with a brief overview of adolescence and the developmental tasks of this critical period, the paper delves into epidemiologic data to highlight the widespread impact of this potentially debilitating disorder. The review outlines diagnostic criteria, common presentations, risk factors, and co-morbidities, and thoroughly examines pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic evidence-based treatments. Clinical vignettes are incorporated throughout the paper. An emphasis on multidisciplinary team involvement illustrates the vital role of interprofessional collaboration in achieving optimal patient outcomes.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of adolescent depression, including high-risk adolescent patients
- Understand the role of screening tools in the diagnosis and management of depression
- Review evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment strategies for depression
- Review the multifactorial role of counseling and patient education, with a focus on common misconceptions about depression
Faculty
- Introduction
- The Challenges of Adolescent Growth and Development
- Developmental Tasks of Adolescence in the Context of Medical Care
- Adolescent Scenario # 1
- The Scope of the Problem
- Diagnostic Criteria
- DSM-5–TR Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
- ICD-11 Depressive Disorder
- Screening and Risk Factors
- Adolescent Scenario # 2
- Adolescent Scenario # 2, Continued
- Differential Diagnosis and Comorbidity
- Other Types of Depression
- Comorbid Disorders of Mental Health
- Medical Conditions and Medications
- Adolescent Scenario # 2, Continued
- Evaluating Suicidal Risk
- A Word About Firearms
- Adolescent Scenario # 2, Continued
- Building and Maintaining a Therapeutic Alliance
- Adolescent Scenario # 2, Continued
- Symptom Severity and Functional Impairment
- Adolescent Scenario # 2, Continued
- Pharmacotherapy, Psychotherapy, Lifestyle Changes: How to Choose an Effective Treatment Plan
- Pharmacotherapy
- Psychotherapy
- Lifestyle Changes
- Summary
From May 21, 2026 through May 21, 2029, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in planning, developing, and/or authoring this activity: L. Austin Fredrickson, MD, FACP; Ellen Feldman, MD; and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. None of the individuals involved in developing this activity has a conflict of interest or financial relationships related to the subject matter. There are no financial relationships or commercial or financial support relevant to this activity to report or disclose by RxCe.com or any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature, and it is designed solely to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant's professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals must consult their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization for guidelines, protocols, and procedures to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures, but is for academic purposes only, and this course's limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses is constantly changing. Any person taking this course understands that such a person must make an independent review of medication information before any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only, and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course or course material.
Please ensure the device you plan to use meets these requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 / Mac OS X 10.9 or later / iOS / Android
- Supported Browsers: Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera
- A connection to the internet
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.