Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence and Young Adulthood.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective multi-cohort panel study with longitudinal follow-up
PubMed 39141383 · doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.27748
What was done
This panel cohort study evaluated data from the Monitoring the Future longitudinal survey from 1990 to 2019, covering birth cohorts from 1972 to 2001 (n = 36,552; 50.5% female). Participants were recruited in 12th grade at approximately age 18 and followed up via mail and web surveys at ages 19 to 20 and 21 to 22. Depressive symptoms were measured using a top-decile cutoff (score >12 vs ≤12) based on self-reported affective items (e.g., "Life often seems meaningless"). The study examined associations between birth cohort and depressive symptoms across age periods.
What was found
In the most recent birth cohort (1997–2001), 19.1% (95% CI, 16.7%–21.4%) of females and 13.4% (95% CI, 11.2%–15.6%) of males had high depressive symptoms at age 18, the highest among all cohorts examined. For recent-cohort females, prevalence declined somewhat by ages 21 to 22 but remained elevated compared to prior cohorts; for males, prevalence increased through young adulthood. High depressive symptoms at age 18 strongly predicted high symptoms at ages 19 to 20 (males: OR 10.24 [95% CI, 7.01–14.97]; females: OR 9.16 [95% CI, 6.57–12.76]) and ages 21 to 22 (males: OR 6.20 [95% CI, 3.93–9.78]; females: OR 7.28 [95% CI, 4.92–10.78]). In the latest female cohort, 55.25% (95% CI, 38.11%–65.13%) of depressive symptoms at ages 21 to 22 were attributable to symptoms present at age 18.
Why it matters
These findings show that rising adolescent depression rates are not transient developmental phases and are carrying forward into early adulthood, indicating that the adolescent mental health crisis is transitioning into a young adult mental health crisis.
Limits
Depressive symptoms were evaluated via a brief self-report affective scale using an arbitrary top-decile cutoff rather than structured clinical diagnostic interviews. Baseline recruitment sampled 12th-grade high school students, excluding individuals who dropped out prior to grade 12. Follow-up ended at ages 21 to 22, so longer-term adulthood outcomes were not captured.
Cited by
- supports Survey data shows agreement with the statement that life feels meaningless among high school seniors remained around 8% to 9% until spiking significantly starting around 2013.