THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE STUDY OF MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PSYCHOSOMATIC MANIFESTATIONS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Abstract

The article explores the formation of psychological well-being in children through the lens of emotional disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. The authors highlight the multifactorial influences on a child’s psycho-emotional state, encompassing both external factors (socio-economic status, environmental conditions, cultural context) and internal ones, such as individual cognitive and emotional characteristics.

The central focus of the study is depression in childhood and adolescence, increasingly recognized as a distinct psycho-emotional disorder that differs in important ways from adult depression. The authors trace the evolution of diagnostic approaches, underscoring the need for specialized tools and criteria that account for age-specific symptomatology. The article outlines the challenges of identifying emotional disorders in young children, particularly due to somatic manifestations and behavioral symptoms that are often misinterpreted by adults as disciplinary issues or merely as signs of the “transitional age.”

The article presents findings from longitudinal studies suggesting that early signs of depression may predict the development of chronic affective disorders in adulthood. It emphasizes the critical importance of early diagnosis and preventive interventions, which should be grounded in an interdisciplinary approach involving medical, psychological, social, and educational professionals. Contemporary international classifications of mental disorders (ICD-10, DSM-IV) are analyzed, and their limitations in identifying childhood depression are discussed. The authors critically assess unified diagnostic models that do not always accurately reflect the unique features of a child’s mental life.

The clinical presentation of childhood and adolescent depression is examined, with attention to its variation across developmental stages. The article details specific manifestations in preschoolers (developmental delays, regressive behaviors), younger school-age children (low motivation, social withdrawal, somatic complaints), and adolescents (aggression, social isolation, suicidal ideation). The psychodynamic underpinnings of adolescent depression are explored, particularly the interplay of hormonal, cognitive, and social changes. Special attention is given to themes of emotional loneliness, the absence of adult support, and the internal conflicts characteristic of adolescence