Nonfiction Books for Parents and Teachers

Depression in the Young : What We Can Do to Help Them -
Trudy Carlson (1998)
Based on the wrenching and unexpected suicide of her son Ben at age fourteen, Trudy Carlson discusses depressive illness in young people and explains aspects of available treatments for each. Carlson's frank, explicit guide through illness, treatment, medication, and psychotherapies is designed with the layman in mind. This book contains detailed chapters dedicated to the recognition and treatment of depressive illness in the young, as well as their effects on the family, friends, classmates, and physicians involved with the sufferer.

Helping Your Depressed Teenager: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers - Gerald D. Oster and Sarah S. Montgomery (Contributor) (1994)
Oster and Montgomery review the most important issues of the early, middle, and late teen years--sexual maturation, jobs, driving, other sources of freedom and privacy, and graduation and separation from the family. They address what constitutes clinical depression, determining whether a child is depressed, prevention, suicidal thoughts and suicide, genetic predisposition to depression and family history, unresolved conflicts, and other matters. They also consider treatment options, including counseling, medication, and hospitalization. Somewhat stern in approach despite the citation of case studies, this parents' guide yet provides a wealth of information about depression, its causes, and its treatment.

Lonely, Sad and Angry: A Parent's Guide to Depression in Children and Adolescents - Barbara D. Ingersoll and Sam Goldstein (1995)
Ingersoll and Goldstein fully and lucidly discuss the characteristics of depression in children and adolescents, coexisting conditions, diagnosis and evaluation, causes, and treatment options. They give detailed counsel on the worrisome issues of suicide and hospitalization, and they furnish reassuring and concrete advice for life at home and help at school. Noting that parents must make informed, critical decisions, Ingersoll and Goldstein enable parents to more confidently and intelligently recognize depression in their children, obtain professional help, determine treatment, cope with the daily struggles as well as the serious consequences, and gain hope for a more enlightened future.

No One Saw My Pain: Why Teens Kill Themselves - Andrew E. Slaby and Lili Frank Garfinkel (1994)
Slaby, a psychiatrist specializing in depression and crisis intervention, presents psychological profiles of eight severely depressed adolescents who attempted or committed suicide, drawing on the teens' journals and diaries and sessions with families and friends. He and Garfinkel detail the manifestations of adolescent depression, describe families' common pathways through the pain to survival, and offer guidelines for recognizing and working with suicidal youth.

Overcoming Teen Depression: A Guide for Parents (Issues in Parenting) - Miriam Kaufman (2001)
A good primer on teaching teen depression. All of the major topics are covered in clearcut language.

Understanding Teenage Depression: A Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management - Maureen Empfield and Nicholas Bakalar (2001)
Empfield draws on her experience as director of psychiatry at a Mount Kisco, New York, hospital in this comprehensive yet succinct resource for both adults and teens. In a voice that's both compassionate and authoritative, Empfield, aided by writer Bakalar, offers current information on diagnosis and treatment of the disease, including advice on how to differentiate between depression and less severe adolescent ups and downs. Case studies, some written in teens' voices, and Empfield's own clear, persuasive arguments show how teenage depression can have a lifelong impact on an individual's growth and why active and early treatment is so crucial. Specific chapters on suicide and hospitalization provide detailed, unflinching descriptions. An invaluable resource for teens, parents, teachers, and others affected by a growing epidemic. Extensive resources appended

Understanding Your Teenager's Depression: Issues, Insights, and Practical Guidance for Parents - Kathleen McCoy and Kathy McCoy (1994)
In a completely revised and updated edition of Coping with Teenage Depression, McCoy provides parents with the information and understanding to recognize the often hidden tactical advice to cope with this critical problem.

Magazines for Parents and Teachers

Listen-Celebrating Positive Choices
Now in its 50th year of continuous publication, Listen Magazine boasts 9 issues throughout each year, sharing the benefits of living a life free from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Each magazine focuses on issues that young people deal with on a daily basis, and would be a tremendous addition to any curriculum as a resource guide, or to spawn classroom discussion on a variety of subjects including ATOD, violence, HIV/Aids, role models, alternative activities, short stories and teen assistance. Each issue comes with teacher's guides, pre-post tests, student handouts, assignment sheets and more.

Videos for Parents and Teachers

Beyond the Butterfly: Middle School Girls Speak Out
by Wisconsin Public Television (2000)
This 60-minute video allows middle-school girls to candidly reveal what's going on in their lives. Girls throughout Wisconsin and from parts of Michigan and Ohio were given a video camera and asked to record their thoughts, feelings, discussions and activities for a week. In revealing and sometimes poignant moments, the girls chronicled their experiences with sex, substance abuse, parents, domestic violence, eating disorders, suicide, self-esteem and, of course school.

Day for Night-Recognizing Teen Depression (1999)
by The Depression and Related Affective Disorders Association (DRADA)
Teenagers talk about their own experiences with depression and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) as well as their treatments and recovery. They encourage other teens to seek help.

Dog Days (Degrassi Junior High series) (1987)
by Playing With Time, Inc.
Degrassi Junior High explores all of the challenges and joys of growing up--friendship, puberty, rumors, sports, studies and more--with a refreshing ensemble cast and a unique teen's-eye-view of life. This particular episode is about the depressed children of a divorced family.

Fragile Time (1987)
by The Minnesota Extension Service, 4-H Youth Development and Home Economics
A 30-minute video documentary about adolescent experiences with depression and suicide.

SOS High School Suicide Prevention Program (2002)
by Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
This video portrays scenarios with specific words and actions that are key indicators of serious depression and possible suicide, provides specific and simple action steps to take to get help for the friend or classmate at risk. Includes a discussion guide to assist those implementing the program in bringing out more in-depth classroom discussion and assure understanding of the issues addressed on the video. The video illustrates threats of violence by depressed and hopeless teens, and stresses the importance of classmates sharing this information with a responsible adult in their school or community.

Teen Role Plays: Dealing with Stressful Situations
by Iowa State University (1987)
Designed to use with rural junior and senior high youth. A group of five teenagers portrays situations teens find themselves in. After each situation, the young people discuss the situation in the roleplay along with the feelings they had and appropriate ways of coping. The roleplays include making decisions about time with friends, pressure to chat in school, and how to act assertively under pressure.

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