What is ‘normal’ moodiness in teenagers and why is adolescence such a high-risk period for depressive disorders? This book both explores normal teenage emotional development and suggests why some adolescents may be more vulnerable to depression than others, and also more vulnerable than children and adults. Placing the emergence of depressive disorders within a developmental context puts an important and under-researched perspective on the understanding of depression.
The editors have structured this book by selecting a number of vulnerability factors and presenting a chapter on normal development in this area, followed by a chapter on the development of affective pathology. Areas covered include brain development, puberty, cognition, moral emotions, shame, temperament, familial processes, and peers and romantic relationships. The complex interplay between risk and protective factors within a developmental biopsychosocial perspective is highlighted throughout this book, for example in relation to the increased risk for depression in teenage girls. Differences in brain maturation between boys and girls are explored and early pubertal maturation in girls appears to be a particular vulnerability factor. This is discussed in relation to hormonal influences and the ‘affiliative need’ of girls, whereby girls are more likely to experience disappointment and ‘co-ruminate’ with their peers.
The developmental framework used by the authors has not been previously adequately explored and therefore this book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding depression and the potential mechanisms involved across the lifespan, as well as gaining an insight into normal emotional development. The presentation of the evidence base is thorough but left me wondering about other potential vulnerability factors that were not covered. For example, although the effects of culture are mentioned, a chapter with a fuller exploration of developmental cultural issues in depression would have been fascinating. Similarly, I wondered about a developmental perspective on socioeconomic status and how this may differentially influence depression. This is not a criticism of the book but a reflection on how this impressive volume of work provokes further thought and questions. The authors have succeeded in their aim to produce a text that synthesises diverse research areas generating new perspectives on depression for future investigation.
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