Depression Across the Lifespan: A Developmental Perspective

Introduction

Depression is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon affecting multiple age cohorts. It is therefore important to understand what differential age-related risk factors account for the manifestation of depressive symptoms, whether precipitating factors are genetic or environmental, and how specific treatment interventions might change depending on age-related needs or age-appropriate approaches. A developmental approach to depression can provide insight into how clinicians can improve treatment interventions and promote a more nuanced and realistic understanding of the disorder. The symptoms of depression are also likely to differ across age cohorts, in part due to developmental differences, but also to biological differences in brain structure and chemistry, life experiences, and socialization. This topic is important to both clinical and counseling psychology because reframing depression from a developmental perspective can shed light on etiology and best practices.

Review of Literature

Literature has generally not focused on a developmental theoretical perspective, even though early research showed that "socioemotional, cognitive, linguistic, social-cognitive, neurobiological, and neurochemical" domains all need to be "taken into account" when investigating depression (Cicchetti, Nurcombe, & Garber, 1992, p. 1). Moreover, researchers have yet to devise reliable methods of measuring depression in early childhood, instead reverting to the misapplication of adult surveys and instruments that may be irrelevant for younger age groups. Simmons, Wilkinson, and Dubicka (2015) note that "since the recognition of youth depression, numerous instruments have been developed, but there is little consensus regarding their use" (p. 230). Increased consensus and more finely tuned instrumentation for measuring and diagnosing depression in young people would tremendously help evolve more efficacious interventions.

Interpersonal Therapy and Developmental Frameworks

More recent research on the application of Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) to depression reveals potential areas where developmental psychology can converge with other frameworks for understanding mood disorders in childhood and adolescence. IPT in particular may be indicated for young cohorts given the proven efficacy of the modality in general. deMello, Mari, Bacaltchuk, and Neugebauer (2005) performed a meta-analysis and found that IPT leads to results comparable to medical interventions for depression, and that results "did not increase when combined with medication" (p. 75). This suggests methods of intervention that avoid the use of pharmacological treatments.

IPT also offers a "time-limited" method of helping young people, who may benefit from a targeted and brief approach. deMello et al. (2005) also found that IPT proved more efficacious than cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) when treating depression specifically. Because IPT has proven results with depression and avoids the pathology model that has become standard in clinical psychology, it may be especially potent for understanding depression in ways that provide positive and solution-oriented interventions for persons of all age cohorts. Indeed, the results of the deMello et al. (2005) meta-analysis also demonstrate how IPT can be adapted to suit a developmental framework, providing interventions for a single client throughout the lifespan.