Which set of symptoms best indicates adolescent depression?

• A. Persistent sadness or irritability, loss of interest, sleep/appetite changes, fatigue, concentration difficulties, withdrawal.
• B. Occasional sadness during exams.
• C. An unusually high energy level and constant participation in activities.
• D. Mood swings that last only a few minutes.

Answer: (A)

Recognizing the symptom pattern of adolescent depression is the key idea here. In teens, depression shows as a cluster of symptoms that affect mood, interest in activities, sleep and appetite, energy, concentration, and social withdrawal, and these persist most days for a significant period, causing problems in daily functioning. The described set includes persistent sadness or irritability, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, difficulties concentrating, and withdrawal from friends or activities. When these signs appear together over time, they point toward depression rather than a one-off feeling, which is why this set best indicates the condition.

Other scenarios describe patterns that aren’t as consistent with depression: sadness during exams can be a normal stress response; unusually high energy and constant participation suggest an elevated mood or other conditions like mania; mood swings that last only a few minutes are too brief to reflect a depressive pattern.