About this course

Learning Objectives

• Apply a developmental lens to understanding adolescent depression in the context of early life interpersonal stress.
• Describe how early life interpersonal stress (e.g., family, peer conflict) influences the development of brain systems involved in social and emotional processing.
• Identify ways in which early life interpersonal stress increases risk for adolescent depression and informs therapeutic case formulation.

Learning Levels

• Beginner

Target Audience

Course Instructor(s)

• 

  Esther Palacios-Barrios, PhD

  Dr. Esther Palacios-Barrios is a psychologist dedicated to providing supportive and effective care to children, adolescents, and adults. Dr. Palacios-Barrios specializes in working with youth and adults facing challenges related to depression, anxiety, OCD, interpersonal and family dynamics, relationship issues, trauma, and identity development, including sexual and gender identity. She also offers parent management training, teaching skills and strategies that reinforce positive behaviors and lead to improved family dynamics and change. She has extensive experience in conducting psychodiagnostic and psychoeducational evaluations.

References

• Li, M., Gao, T., Su, Y., Zhang, Y., Yang, G., D’Arcy, C., & Meng, X. (2023). The timing effect of childhood maltreatment in depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(4), 2560-2580.
• LeMoult, J., Humphreys, K. L., Tracy, A., Hoffmeister, J. A., Ip, E., & Gotlib, I. H. (2020). Meta-analysis: exposure to early life stress and risk for depression in childhood and adolescence. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 59(7), 842-855.
• Härkönen, U. (2001). The Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory of human development.
• Palacios-Barrios, E. E., Patel, K., & Hanson, J. L. (2024). Early life interpersonal stress and depression: Social reward processing as a potential mediator. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 129, 110887.
• Woody, M. L., Bell, E. C., Cruz, N. A., Wears, A., Anderson, R. E., & Price, R. B. (2022). Racial stress and trauma and the development of adolescent depression: A review of the role of vigilance evoked by racism-related threat. Chronic Stress, 6, 24705470221118574.
• Eckstrand, K. L., Lenniger, C. J., & Forbes, E. E. (2022). Development of reward circuitry during adolescence: depression, social context, and considerations for future research on disparities in sexual and gender minority youth. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 4(1), 231-252.
• Smith, K. E., & Pollak, S. D. (2021). Social relationships and children’s perceptions of adversity. Child Development Perspectives, 15(4), 228-234.