Most pediatric offices that screen teenagers for mental health ask about depression. A study of 2,776 adolescents suggests that stopping there leaves a measurable number of struggling teenagers unidentified.
Researchers at three academic primary care practices had adolescents complete three questionnaires at well-child visits rather than one: the PHQ-9 for depressive symptoms, the GAD-7 for anxiety symptoms, and the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions for suicide risk. Adding the two extra tools yielded one additional adolescent with a positive result for moderate or severe symptoms per 13 teenagers screened.
