Understanding Depression and Low Mood in Young People (FutureLearn)

This course will help you to recognise low mood and depression in teens, understand CBT – an evidence based treatment, discover practical techniques to help support young people and, access sources of further advice.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1: An introduction to adolescent depression

Week 2: The impact of lifestyle

Week 3: Understanding and addressing behaviour patterns in depression

Week 4: Understanding and addressing thinking patterns in adolescent depression

Week 5: Family life and communication, seeking further help

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Understand the key signs and symptoms of adolescent depression and how it may present itself.

- Identify how depression differs from low mood and other 'normal' mood fluctuations in teenagers.

- Describe key environmental and lifestyle factors which may contribute to depression in teenagers.

- Discuss what teenagers and carers can do to promote a healthier lifestyle within the family.

- Understand how a psychological approach can help us to better understand depression.

- Understand CBT and other key strategies that can be helpful for low mood.

- Identify how patterns of behaviour and thinking can contribute to depression in teenagers and how these can be addressed in therapy.

- Discuss the importance of good communication when supporting teenagers with depression, both within families and between families and other agencies such as schools.

- Summarise how and why breakdowns in communication occur and how to resolve these.

Who is the course for?

The course has been specifically created for parents of young people with depression and low mood, teachers and primary (or other) healthcare professionals who play a role in detecting mental health difficulties and offering appropriate support and guidance to young people.