Abstract
Adolescence is a key period for studying the development of depression, with studies in Europe and North America showing a pattern of elevated risk that begins in early adolescence and continues to increase as adolescents age. Few studies have examined the course of adolescent depression and associated risk factors in low and middle-income countries. This longitudinal cohort study examined depression symptom trajectories and risk factors in a sample of socio-economically disadvantaged adolescents in Chile (n = 2,508). Data were collected over an 18-month period as part of a clinical trial for secondary students aged 12 to 18 (median age 14). Clinical levels of depression were prevalent in this sample at baseline (35% for girls and 28% for boys); yet latent growth models of symptom trajectories revealed a pattern of decreasing symptoms over time. There was evidence of an anxiety-depression developmental pathway for girls, with elevated anxiety levels initially predicting poorer depression outcomes later on. Poor problem-solving skills were associated with initial depression levels but did not predict the course of depressive symptoms. Critically, the declining symptom trajectories raise important methodological issues regarding the effects of repeated assessment in longitudinal studies.
Highlights
Adolescent DepressionDepression in adolescence is a serious public health issue, with concerning developmental and psychosocial consequences including increased risk of suicide [1,2]
Only one study has examined prevalence rates in Chilean children and adolescents; the results indicated higher 12-month prevalence of depression in adolescents aged 12 to 18 (7.0%) as compared to younger children (3.5%) [9]. This pattern is consistent with studies conducted in Europe and North America which show a period of elevated risk for depression that begins in early adolescence and continues to increase as adolescents age [10,11,12,13,14]
Adolescence marks the emergence of gender differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms, with higher prevalence observed among girls, a finding that is consistent across countries including Chile [16]
Summary
Adolescent DepressionDepression in adolescence is a serious public health issue, with concerning developmental and psychosocial consequences including increased risk of suicide [1,2]. Only one study has examined prevalence rates in Chilean children and adolescents; the results indicated higher 12-month prevalence of depression in adolescents aged 12 to 18 (7.0%) as compared to younger children (3.5%) [9]. This pattern is consistent with studies conducted in Europe and North America which show a period of elevated risk for depression that begins in early adolescence and continues to increase as adolescents age [10,11,12,13,14]. Adolescence marks the emergence of gender differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms, with higher prevalence observed among girls, a finding that is consistent across countries including Chile [16]
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