Mental Disorders in Adolescents

Article information

J Korean Med Assoc. 2009;52(8):745-757

Publication date (electronic) : 2009 August 31

doi : https://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2009.52.8.745

Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Korea. ahndh@hanyang.ac.kr

Abstract

In spite of misconception and/or neglect concerning mental disorders of adolescence, increasing attention to adolescents' mental health problems arises from a number of sources. A perspective from developmental psychopathology provides a conceptual tool for understanding the range of processes and mechanism underlying how and why psychopathology in adolescents emerges. This will enable primary physicians to diagnose and/or provide treatments to adolescents with mental health problems in clinical practice. More information about mental disorders in adolescents will be needed for primary physicians in the future. Adolescents' mental disorders are significant societal problem. Physicians should perform a leadership in multidisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescent; Mental disorder; Diagnosis; Treatment

References

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Article information Continued

Figure 1

Burden of disease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to specific causes by age and sex in the year 2000 (3).

Table 1

Classification of mental disorders in adolescents

MR: mental retardation, ASD: autism spectrum disorder, LLD: learning and language disorder, ADHD: attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, ODD: oppositional defiant disorder, CD: conduct disorder, SAD: separation anxiety disorder, AXDs: anxiety disorders, MDD: major depressive disorder, Tic/TS: tic disorder and Tourette disorder

Table 2

Prevalence and sex-ratio of mental disorders in adolescents

Prevalence is estimated as following: very common, > 10%: common, 5~10%; less common, 2~5%: rare, 1~2%: very rare, < 1%

NK, not unknown (6).

Table 3

Classification of psychotropic drugs by effect

^*Not available in Korea

Table 4

Psychopharmacotherapy for DSM-IV diagnoses

ADHD: attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, GAD: generalized anxiety disorder, MDD: major depressive disorder, TCAs: tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, DDAVP: desmopressin (14)