Abstract

Currently, psychiatric and behavioral problems are the number one health problem among young people ages 10-18 (Blum, 1987; Bushong, Coverdale, & Battaglia, 1992). Psychiatric and behavioral disorders, including depression, can have devastating effects at this age and often lead to school failure, violence and suicide (Birmaher & Brent, 1998; Lewinsohn, Rohde, Klein, & Seeley, 1999). Moreover, research indicates that depressed youths are being seriously under-diagnosed and under-treated, causing a great burden to both individuals and society (Blum, Beuhring, Wunderlich, & Resnick, 1996; Hirschfeld, et al., 1997; Horwath, Johnson, Klerman, & Weissman, 1994).