According to Hamrin et al (2010), screening for depression and gender-specific presentation is an important component of health assessment. The US Preventative Services Task Force (2009) recommends that primary care providers screen adolescents for depression annually from 12 through 18 years of age during routine visits. If the clinician notes any symptoms of depression, parental concerns about their child’s mood, or a family history of mood disorders, or concerns about substance use, younger children should be screened and evaluated. A variety of screening tools exist to screen for depression, including written assessments to be completed by the parent or teen and interview style assessments to be administered by the practitioner. Hamrin et al have identified a variety of age specific tools as presented below.
