Depression: What is it, and What Can I do
About it for my Students?
Adapted, in part, from the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Institute of Mental Health,
and Interventions That Work in Educational Leadership, Crundwell and Killu.
Clinical depression is a medical term used to describe more than the occasional “blues”.
Everyone gets sad sometimes, but depression is more significant than just sadness. It
can include feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness. Symptoms
vary, but with children and adolescents they may include:













Ongoing irritability or anger.
Continuous feelings of sadness, hopelessness.
Withdrawing from friends.
Increased sensitivity to rejection.
Changes in appetite – too much or too little.
Changes in sleep – too much or too little.
Frequent crying.
Difficulty concentrating.
Often being tired and having low energy.
Physical complaints (such as stomachaches, headaches) that do not respond to treatment
Rebellious/defiant behavior.
Excessive risk taking.
Reduced ability to function at home or with friends, in school,
extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests.
 Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
 Use of drugs (including alcohol)
 Thoughts of death or suicide.
Large-scale research studies have reported that up to 2.5 percent of
children and up to 8.3 percent of adolescents in the United States suffer
from depression. In addition, research has discovered that depression onset is occurring earlier in individuals
born in more recent decades. Not all children have all of these symptoms. In fact, most will display different
symptoms at different times and in different settings. Although some students may continue to function
reasonably well in structured environments, most kids with significant depression will suffer a noticeable
change in social activities, loss of interest in school and poor academic performance, or a change in
appearance. Symptoms of clinical depression usually last two weeks or more, but may not be daily.
When depression is recognized early and when professionals provide treatment, young people can experience
improved mood and function better in school and life. School personnel play a pivotal role in identifying
depression—and intervening. Teachers, administrators, and other school staff must also be knowledgeable
about depression because the disorder can seriously impair academic and interpersonal behavior at school.
Depression is significantly correlated with poor academic grades, and students with higher ratings of
depression are less likely to graduate from high school. Cognitive issues may include low tolerance for
frustration and negative patterns of thinking. Depressed students often give up more quickly on tasks they
perceive as daunting, refuse to attempt academic work they find too difficult, and quickly doubt their ability to
independently complete academic tasks or solve problems. Memory, speech, physical and motor activity, and
the ability to plan may also be affected. Many depressed children and adolescents are lethargic, speak
laboriously, and have difficulty completely expressing thoughts and ideas. To help you recognize depression
in children and adolescents, look at the following listing.
Characteristics of Depression in Children and Adolescents
Characteristics of Depression in Children
What It Looks Like in School
Physical/somatic complaints
Complaints of feeling sick, school absence, lack of
participation, sleepiness
Irritability
Isolation from peers, problems with social skills,
defiance
Difficulty concentrating on tasks/activities
Poor work completion
Short-term memory impairments
Forgetting to complete assignments, difficulty
concentrating
Difficulties with planning, organizing, and executing
tasks
Refusing to complete work, missing deadlines
Facial expressions or body language indicating
depression or sadness
Working slowly
Hypersensitivity
Easily hurt feelings, crying, anger
Poor performance and follow-through on tasks
Poor work completion
Inattention
Distractability, restlessness
Forgetfulness
Poor work submission, variable academic performance
Separation anxiety from parents or caregiver
Crying, somatic complaints, frequent absences, school
refusal
Characteristics of Depression in Adolescents
What It Looks Like in School
Decreased self-esteem and feelings of self-worth
Self-deprecating comments
Mild irritability
Defiance with authority figures, difficulties interacting
with peers, argumentativeness
Negative perceptions of student's past and present
Pessimistic comments, suicidal thoughts
Peer rejection
Isolation, frequent change in friends
Lack of interest and involvement in previously
enjoyed activities
Isolation and withdrawal
Boredom
Sulking, noncompliance
Impulsive and risky behavior
Theft, sexual activity, alcohol or drug use, truancy
Substance abuse
Acting out of character, sleeping in class
Teachers can overlook children with depression because symptoms like a sad mood or fatigue are more
internal and subjective than the kinds of disruptive behavior shown by kids with more externalizing disorders,
such as attention deficit disorder. Depressed young people often don't ask for help at school because of
negative thinking patterns: No one cares about my feelings, nothing can be done to help me, and so on.
Younger students often lack the necessary language skills and self-awareness to report—or recognize—their
own depressed state.
Helping Students with Depression
Because depression can have broad negative effects on students' academic work and comfort in school,
schools need to provide a variety of accommodations and instructional strategies to increase these students'
success.
















Talk with the student about their feelings and about what you are seeing. Be specific; tell them what
you have noticed (an increase in fatigue, risk taking behaviors, anger, crying/sadness, isolation, etc.).
o If you feel unable to have this conversation, go to the school mental health professional and let
them know what you are seeing and what you are thinking.
Stay connected with the student. School connectedness is highly important in reducing risk of
harm.
Share your concerns with the student’s parents in a way that does not place blame, or sound
suspicious, but only concerned. Provide a resource list, if needed. Approach this as a way to work
together for the best interest of the student.
Develop a home–school communication system to share information on the student's academic,
social, and emotional behavior and any developments concerning medication or side effects.
Create a sense of belonging. Feeling connected and welcomed is essential to children’s positive
adjustment, self-identification, and sense of trust in others and themselves. Building strong, positive
relationships among students, school staff, and parents is important to promoting mental wellness.
Promote resilience. Adversity is a natural part of life and being resilient is important to overcoming
challenges and good mental health. Connectedness, competency, helping others, and successfully
facing difficult situations can foster resilience.
Develop competencies. Children need to know that they can overcome challenges and accomplish
goals through their actions. Achieving academic success and developing individual talents and
interests helps children feel competent and more able to deal with stress positively. Social competency
is also important. Having friends and staying connected to friends and loved ones can enhance mental
wellness.
Ensure a positive, safe school environment. Feeling safe is critical to students’ learning and mental
health. Promote positive behaviors such as respect, responsibility, and kindness. Prevent negative
behaviors such as bullying and harassment. Provide easily understood rules of conduct and fair
discipline practices and ensure an adult presence in common areas, such as hallways, cafeterias,
locker rooms, and playgrounds. Teach children to work together to stand up to a bully, encourage
them to reach out to lonely or excluded peers, celebrate acts of kindness, and reinforce the availability
of adult support.
Teach and reinforce positive behaviors and decision making. Provide consistent expectations and
support. Teaching children social skills, problem solving, and conflict resolution supports good mental
health. “Catch” them being successful. Positive feedback validates and reinforces behaviors or
accomplishments that are valued by others.
Encourage helping others. Children need to know that they can make a difference. Pro-social
behaviors build self-esteem, foster connectedness, reinforce personal responsibility, and present
opportunities for positive recognition. Helping others and getting involved in reinforces being part of
the community.
Encourage good physical health. Good physical health supports good mental health. Healthy eating
habits, regular exercise and adequate sleep protect kids against the stress of tough situations. Regular
exercise also decreases negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, and depression.
Be mindful of at-risk students. These students should be monitored, particularly during periods of
high stress, either on an individual level or in the school community. Examples of high-stress situations
can include exams, the death of a family member, the suicide of another student, or during another
type of major tragedy.
Use your school mental health resources. They have resources for community services and may
be able to provide counseling in the school setting for the student.
Give frequent feedback on academic, social, and behavioral performance.
Teach the student how to set goals and self-monitor.
Coach the student in ways to organize, plan, and execute tasks demanded daily or weekly in school.


Develop modifications and accommodations to respond to the student's fluctuations in mood,
ability to concentrate, or side effects of medication. Assign one individual to serve as a primary contact
and coordinate interventions.
Frequently monitor whether the student has suicidal thoughts.
Additional information:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct10/vol68/num02/Responding-to-a-Student%27sDepression.aspx