Have a child aged 12 to 18 screened for depression once, and don't treat the school's psychological assessment as a diagnosis
- High value
- Evidence B
- Buys life
- For: Child aged 3–18
- Free
- Takes minutes
- No willpower
In plain words
American prevention guidelines recommend screening children aged 12 to 18 for major depression; for ages 11 and under the evidence is not enough. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among children aged 10 to 19. The school's yearly psychological assessment is only a broad survey and can't be taken as a diagnosis. If the child says they feel awful, or eating, sleeping, interests or grades suddenly change, go straight to a psychiatry or clinical psychology department.
- Cost
-
0 to a few dozen yuan, to fill in a screening questionnaire at a community clinic or hospital outpatient department. Calls to the 12355 and 12356 hotlines are free.
- What you get
-
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation statement in 2022. It recommends screening adolescents aged 12 to 18 for major depressive disorder (Grade B recommendation). Grade B means moderate certainty that the benefit is moderate, and it is worth doing. For screening children aged 11 and under for major depression, the evidence is insufficient (an I statement, meaning the evidence isn't enough to make a recommendation). For screening children and adolescents specifically for suicide risk, the evidence on both benefits and harms is insufficient (an I statement). The document points out that suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 19. It also points out that major depression in children and adolescents is closely linked with many later problems. These include repeated episodes of depression in adulthood, other mental disorders, and a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and death by suicide. The Ten Measures to Further Strengthen the Mental Health Work of Primary and Secondary School Students (《进一步加强中小学生心理健康工作十条措施》) call for a three-tier service system of homeroom teachers, full-time and part-time mental health teachers, and psychiatrists. Each student receives a psychological assessment each school year, generally no more than 1 time. The document also calls for referral of mental illness to medical care and a mechanism for returning to school after recovery. It calls for making use of the 12355 youth service desk and the 12356 psychological assistance hotline (nationwide, issued October 2025).
- Notes
-
Graded B because the original gives a rating of the strength of the recommendation, not an effect that can be turned into a number. It is also an American recommendation, and China has no corresponding official screening advice. A positive screening result only means another assessment is needed, and it is not a diagnosis. For what to do when there are suicidal thoughts, see §1.25. For how to respond at home, see §29.
- Evidence grade
- B : Supported by research but without a precise number, or based on small or single studies.
- Sources
-
- US Preventive Services Task Force (2022). Screening for Depression and Suicide Risk in Children and Adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.16946
- 教育部办公厅 (2025). 进一步加强中小学生心理健康工作十条措施（教基厅〔2025〕2 号）. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202510/content_7045528.htm
Mentioned in
- Treat the thought “other people demand perfection from me” as a symptom, not as fact
- Don't scold a child who says they like the same sex, throw them out or send them for “conversion”: how the family reacts is linked to whether they attempt suicide
- Take a parenting course that teaches concrete methods if your child is hard to manage and you keep losing control and hitting or yelling
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 30, tip 8. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer