Sudhakar Jha
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Written By: Sudhakar Jha | Published : September 2, 2018 10:18 AM IST
The researchers believe that up to three per cent of children in 6-12 age group might be facing depression issues © Shutterstock
A new study has found that children who suffer from depression are six times more likely to have talent shortages, including problems with social interactions or studies. The researchers believe that up to three per cent of children in 6-12 age group might be facing depression issues, but their parents or even teachers are not able to recognise the symptoms.
Keith Herman, professor at the University of Missouri, said that when teachers and parents are asked to rate a child's level of depression, there's only about 5-10 per cent overlap in their ratings. The teachers might report that a kid has problems in making friends in school, but the parents will not notice the same problem at home.
For the study, the team analysed 643 children in early elementary school to explore how the patterns between student, teacher and parent reporting about the children could be used to get a holistic picture of a child's mental health. They found that even though 30 per cent of children reported feeling mildly to severely depressed, parents and teachers often failed to recognise the condition in the kid.
However, it was seen through the study that teachers and parents identified other symptoms that might predict long-term risk for depression, such as social problems, inattentiveness and skill deficits.
The team then found out that the kids who showed severe signs of depression were six times more likely to have skill deficits than their peers. Dr. Keith added that even if a child doesn't say they feel depressed, certain behaviors provide clues to the child's mental health.
It's important for teachers and parents to catch those behaviours early so that long-term problems that occur with depression can be prevented, he concluded.
