Redalyc.Conceptualization About Internalizing Problems in Children and Adolescents
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Ciência & Saúde Coletiva ISSN: 1413-8123 [email protected] Associação Brasileira de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva Brasil Wilkinson, Paul Conceptualization about internalizing problems in children and adolescents Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, vol. 14, núm. 2, abril, 2009, pp. 373-381 Associação Brasileira de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=63013532007 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative 373 ARTIGO ARTICLE Conceptualization about internalizing problems in children and adolescents O conceito de problemas internalizantes em crianças e adolescentes Paul Wilkinson 1 Abstract This review will discuss the concept of Resumo Esta revisão discute o conceito de trans- internalizing disorders. It will describe the two main tornos internalizantes, descrevendo os dois princi- types of internalizing disorder: depressive and anxi- pais tipos deste problema: depressão e ansiedade. Será ety disorders. It will discuss how they have much in discutido o quanto eles têm em comum, mas tam- common, but that there are also key differences. The bém as principais diferenças entre eles. Para ilustrar review will use data from modern studies of symp- estas características em comum e as diferenças, se- tom factor analysis, aetiology, treatment and prog- rão usados dados de estudos modernos usando aná- nosis to illustrate the commonalities and differen- lise fatorial de sintomas, etiologia, tratamento e prog- ces. It will conclude by trying to answer where in- nóstico. Na conclusão, será feita uma tentativa de ternalizing disorders should be placed in future di- responder a questão onde os problemas internali- agnostic classification schemes. zantes deveriam ser inseridos nos esquemas futuros Key words Internalizing disorders, Symptom fac- de classificação diagnóstica. tor analysis, Diagnostic classification Palavras-chave Internalização, Análise fatorial de sintomas, Classificação diagnóstica 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge. 18b Trumpington Road Cambridge CB2 8AH UK. [email protected] 374 Wilkinson P The first attempt to classify child psychopatholo- Depressive disorders gy was made by Hewitt and Jenkins in 19461. They carried out a factor analysis of symptoms and Depressive disorders are about more than feel- linked factors with social situation. This led to the ing sad. They are syndromes of persistent emo- differentiation of “emotional disturbance” and two tional, biological and psychological symptoms, classes of disruptive disorders, based both on in- accompanied by impaired social functioning. The tercorrelations between symptoms within each fac- most important of the depressive disorders is ma- tor and different patterns of psychosocial variables jor depression. in the three factors. Since then, there has developed For a DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Man- infinitely greater complexity to psychiatric diagno- ual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition4) diagno- sis. Yet a similar split between emotional (or “in- sis of major depression, at least five depressive ternalizing”, where the patients feel distress inside symptoms must have been present most of the themselves) and behavioural (or “externalizing”, time for two weeks and represent a change from where the patients cause distress to people external previous functioning. At least one of the symp- to themselves) problems is still often made. toms must be: This article will look in detail at the conceptual- . Depressed or irritable mood ization of internalizing disorders in children and . Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in adolescents. It will explain the main disorders, look- almost all activities (anhedonia). ing at what separates the disorders, but also at Other possible symptoms are: what these disorders have in common, validating . Decreased or increased weight or appetite Hewitt and Jenkins’ original classification. It will . Increased or decreased sleep discuss the aetiology of these disorders, and how . Psychomotor agitation (fidgetiness) or retar- modern scientific technology has been able to dem- dation (slowed down speech/movements) onstrate differences and commonalities within this . Reduced energy group of disorders. It will finish by discussing . Worthlessness or excessive guilt whether the concept of internalizing disorders (and . Reduced concentration or indecisiveness the sub-classification of internalizing disorders) is . Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ide- helpful and valid. ation. In addition, there must be significant distress or impairment in functioning (such as at school, Classification of internalising disorders with friends or with the family). Symptoms must not be due to a medical condition, medication, il- The two main emotions suffered by patients with licit substances or bereavement. Onset is rare be- emotional disorders are sad (or depressed) mood fore adolescence. and worry (or anxiety). These emotions form the However, here we have the first of our prob- basis of the two main types of internalizing disor- lems with the conceptualisation of internalising ders: depressive and anxiety disorders. The third disorders. As clinicians, it is convenient to be able edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of to say whether or not people have a diagnosis, a Mental Disorders (DSM-III,1980) reflected this, categorical approach. This makes it easy at a su- and was the first diagnostic classification that made perficial level to decide what treatment we should a major separation between “affective” and “anxi- use, and whether somebody is eligible for treat- ety” disorders. ment at all. However, human biology and psychol- This article will focus on these two main groups ogy is not so simple. In the same way as blood of disorders. It will not include bipolar disorder pressure lies on a continuum, and at one end of and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The phenom- this, the doctor and patient must decide whether enology, biology and genetics of these disorders to treat “high” blood pressure, depressive symp- demonstrate that while these disorders have much toms and the associated social dysfunction lie upon in common with internalizing disorders, they share a continuum. The American Diagnostic and Sta- many features of, respectively, schizophrenia2 and tistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition tic disorders3. This overlap demonstrates part of (DSM-IV)5 defines a threshold of five symptoms. the difficulty of a simple split of psychiatric disor- But this is fairly arbitrary, and is not based on any ders into a small number of discrete groups. empirical data. It has been shown that there is a gradual reduction in social functioning with more symptoms in children and adolescents6 and in adults7 and that older adolescents with subthresh- 375 Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 14(2):373-381, 2009 old depressive symptoms are as likely as those with tion optimally in a fight-or-flight dangerous situ- the full depressive syndrome to develop a subse- ation. Sometimes anxiety is maladaptive, and it is quent depressive disorder8. So it is not helpful to here that we see anxiety disorders. People may have clinicians to use a simple yes/no approach to treat- excess anxiety around situations that they need to ment. Instead it is better to consider the number of be in to function normally (such as school or symptoms, the social context, the level of dysfunc- shops). This anxiety can be very distressing and tion, the duration of symptoms and the views of can be so overwhelming that it affects normal func- the patient on treatment. The more symptoms, the tion in these arenas (such as stopping children from more likely it is that we should use treatments. concentrating on their schoolwork). In extreme Clinicians do not feel it right to ignore the pa- cases, anxiety can be so overwhelming that people tients who are clearly suffering but only have four cannot face the feared situation, and avoid it com- depressive symptoms. In some healthcare systems, pletely. This avoidance leads to a great feeling of it is not even possible to get treatment without a relief and anxiety levels fall. Sadly, this benefit is “diagnosis”. Other depressive disorders have since greatly reinforcing, and makes it even harder for been described. Dysthymic disorder is a more chron- that person to face the feared situation on the next ic, less severe condition, consisting of depressed occasion. Anxiety is often accompanied by physi- mood for most of the time, with at least two other cal symptoms, such as heart racing, stomach pains depressive symptoms, lasting at least one year, and and sweating. These are mediated by the sympa- in which criteria for a major depressive episode are thetic nervous system/adrenergic response, that not met for the first year. Many children with dys- would be useful in a fight-flight dangerous situa- thymia later develop major depression. tion, but which often makes feelings even worse in DSM-IV discussed “minor depression” as 2-4 the non-dangerous anxiety producing situation. depressive symptoms, including depressed/irrita- As with depressive disorders, anxiety disorders ble mood or anhedonnia, over a two week period, lie on a spectrum, from the common feeling of but concluded there was not sufficient evidence to slight anxiety at