Adolescent Depression Research Articles

Reputational concerns moderate the relationship between lying and depression

This cross-sectional study examined whether reputational concerns moderated the relationship between lying and depression in adolescence. We conducted an online survey of 1,022 Japanese high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 (474 males and 548 females). Results showed that the relationship between selfish lying and depression was not moderated by either rejection avoidance or praise seeking. In contrast, the relationship between prosocial lying and depression was moderated by both rejection avoidance and praise seeking. Specifically, when rejection avoidance and praise seeking were high and when rejection avoidance was high and praise seeking was low, those with higher tendencies toward prosocial lying exhibited higher levels of depression. When rejection avoidance was low and praise seeking was high, those with higher tendencies toward prosocial lying had lower levels of depression. Our findings indicate that reputational concerns complexly moderate the relationship between lying and depression in adolescence.

Adolescent depression in school: risk factors and consequences on school functioning

Abstract Adolescents spend most of their formative years in school, making it an important context to consider when investigating crises. A personal crisis that often has its onset during adolescence is depression. To gain a better understanding of depression in school, we explore possible individual and school-related risk factors and outcomes of depressive symptoms in line with current etiology models. First, we investigate the intersection of possible demographic risk factors of depression (female gender, immigration background, SES). Second, we explore school-related factors (conscientiousness, parental expectations, social inclusion) that might be associated with students’ depressive symptoms, and whether depressive symptoms mediate the effects of these school-related factors on school-functioning (grades, test anxiety). The representative data was collected in 30 Austrian secondary schools in a survey study with three waves. The sample consisted of 1874 12th-grade students from 93 classes. We used well-established self-report scales for all constructs that showed good reliability and students’ mean grades on the most recent tests. Analyses were pre-registered. In general, students experienced heightened depressive symptoms. More specifically, calculating a dummy-coded regression, we found female students with an immigration background and low SES to be the most burdened. The results of the mediation model showed depressive symptoms to partially mediate the association of conscientiousness, social inclusion, and parental expectations with test anxiety; this was not observed for grades. Furthermore, we only found conscientiousness to be positively associated with grades. Directions for future research and implications are discussed.

Intergenerational Transaction of Emotional Health in Collective Family Context: Family Functioning, Parental and Children’s Gratitude, and Their Depression

Background: The current study is intended to examine how positive family functioning, collectively constructed by parents and children in the family context, may contribute to their gratitude and depression, two pivotal human emotions closely related to human health, in which the gratitude and depression of parents and children are assumed to affect each other bidirectionally and parental and children’s gratitude is expected to link the relations between positive family functioning and their depression. Methods: The data for analysis came from a community sample of 310 Chinese parent–child dyads, which were measured by the Family Functioning Style Scale (FFSS), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ), and depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) from both the parent and child participants. Results: The results indicated that positive family functioning contributed to higher parental and children’s gratitude and their less depression, and parental and children’s gratitude and depression affected each other positively. Furthermore, serial mediation analyses discovered the complex processes from positive family functioning to the actor’s depression in parents or children through their gratitude or the links from the partner effect to the actor effect of parental and children’s gratitude or from the partner effect of parental or children’s gratitude to their partner effect of depression. Conclusions: Findings of the current study prove the collective effects of family functioning on the emotional development of gratitude and depression among parents and children, in which parental and children’s gratitude and depression bidirectionally impact each other and lead to the actor’s depression in them through the complex serial mediated effects. For this, pro-family and health-related policies and services should be provided to promote family functioning and emotional management in a home context to enhance family and emotional health among parents and children.

Enhancing assessment practices: Incorporating developmental distress in adolescent depression diagnosis

Depression is a prevalent mental health problem, particularly in the middle to late stages of adolescence. There are certain characteristics of depression that make it difficult to diagnose and require a thorough evaluation. Primary care doctors are often the first to see teens and have a critical role in recognizing and treating the symptoms of this condition. In addition, there are groups that advise testing for depression at this time. To summarize, the major objective of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive review of the scientific literature about the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of depression in adolescents, with a particular focus on primary care settings. There are a number of environmental and genetic elements that are related with the development of depression in teenagers, making it a difficult job to comprehend the pathophysiology of this condition. Diagnosing this ailment can be challenging because of its wide range of clinical manifestations, even though there are specific screening tests and diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, it can be mistakenly identified with other mental illnesses, which is why a variety of other differential diagnoses must be used. The feasible options for therapy are determined in part by the severity of the ailment, associated risk factors, and the resources at hand. These substitutes might consist of pharmaceuticals (mostly fluoxetine) and psychotherapies (relationships and cognitive behavioural). Under no circumstances can treatment be completed without psychological education, a supportive attitude, and family involvement. Preventive measures not only have a major impact on reducing the prevalence of this illness, but they also have a major positive impact on community health generally. Because of its unpredictable clinical course and the fact that it is significantly underdiagnosed all over the globe, depression in adolescents is a disorder that is of concern to the medical profession. General practitioners are able to give early diagnosis, the beginning of therapy, and referrals to mental health experts when it is important to do so.

Parental psychological control, state self-compassion, and depression in adolescents: direct and indirect associations among developmental trajectories

Parental psychological control, state self-compassion, and depression in adolescents: direct and indirect associations among developmental trajectories

Correlates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among bisexual+, gay/lesbian, and heterosexual young adults.

Compared to their exclusively gay/lesbian or heterosexual identifying peers, young people identifying as bisexual+ (e.g. bisexual, pansexual, asexual, queer or questioning) are at elevated risk for suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts (SA). The present study aimed to establish whether the prevalence of, and psychosocial risk factors for, SI and SA vary as a function of sexual identity. Young adults (N = 274; 18-29 years old) were recruited via online crowdsourcing. They completed questionnaires assessing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, depression symptoms and lifetime history of SI and SA. Spearman correlations, Kruskal-Wallis H-tests and binomial logistic regression models were used. No variable was associated with SI. Bisexual+ individuals reported greater SA than the heterosexual group, though statistically similar to the gay/lesbian group. A similar pattern emerged for ACEs. The bisexual+ group reported greater depression symptoms than the gay/lesbian group. Impulsivity and emotion dysregulation did not vary by sexual identity. Controlling for these psychosocial and sociodemographic variables did not alter results: bisexual+ individuals were almost three times more likely to report SA than heterosexual individuals, OR = 2.93 95% CI [1.16, 7.44]; gay/lesbian and heterosexual individuals had a statistically similar likelihood of reporting SA, OR = 1.09, 95% CI [0.27, 4.37]. This is the first study to establish that young adults identifying as bisexual+ are at greater risk for SA after controlling for well-established psychosocial correlates; this was not the case for SI. Further work is needed to establish the aetiology of this risk.

Dyadic resilience after postpartum depression: The protective role of mother-infant respiratory sinus arrhythmia synchrony during play for maternal and child mental health across early childhood.

Coordination in mothers' and their infants' parasympathetic nervous system functioning (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA] synchrony) specifically during playful interactions may promote resilience against exposure to postpartum depressive symptoms (PPD), for both members of the dyad. To test biobehavioral synchrony theory-derived hypotheses, we evaluated whether positive mother-infant RSA synchrony during play attenuated associations between maternal PPD symptoms and future child behavior problems and maternal depressive symptoms. 322 low-income, Mexican-origin mothers and their children participated in 5-min resting baseline and free play interaction tasks when children were 24 weeks of age; mothers reported on their PPD symptoms and on child behavior problems and maternal depressive symptoms at 12- and 36-months child age. Results of multilevel structural equation models demonstrated that, though the associations between maternal PPD symptoms and future child behavior problems and maternal depressive symptoms differed depending on levels of RSA synchrony during play and non-interactive tasks, the protective benefits of positive RSA synchrony on 12-month maternal depressive symptoms and 36-month child internalizing problems were specific to its assessment during a playful interaction. Results suggest that the dyadic coordination of physiological capacities during playful interactions is an active mechanism that promotes resilience to emotional distress for mothers and their children.

Social vulnerability and child food insecurity in developed countries: A systematic review.

Food insecurity (FI) is a serious public health concern in economically developed countries, mainly due to unequal resource distribution. Identifying social vulnerability factors (i.e., characteristics of a person or group regarding their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the effects of child food insecurity (CFI)) and their positive or negative relationship with CFI is important to support targeted action with a scale and intensity that is proportionate to the level of disadvantage. This review aimed to systematically and comprehensively identify key social vulnerability contributors to CFI in economically developed countries and discuss the factors in the context of the socio-ecological model (SEM). Five research databases were searched for observational studies published from 2000 assessing social vulnerability factors related to FI in children residing in developed countries. Data screening and extraction was independently conducted by two reviewers who recorded factors related to CFI. The QualSyst tool was used to assess risk of bias. From the studies identified (N=5,689), 49 papers, predominantly from the United States (U.S.) and Canada, met the inclusion criteria. The identified social vulnerability factors associated with CFI were grouped into five based on the SEM: i) individual child; ii) parental; iii) household; iv) community; and v) societal factors. The most frequently reported contributors to CFI were income (household factor). Other social vulnerability factors were identified, including child's age, parental depression, household crowdedness, social connection, poverty and residential instability. The lack of consistent measures to define both social vulnerability and CFI in diverse population subgroups impeded meaningful pooling and interpretation of factors interacting with CFI. Recommendations for future studies are to use comparable measures to estimate the extent and severity of CFI and to investigating the relation between social vulnerability, severity, and trajectories of CFI in developed countries. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022291638).

Suicide risk, mentalizing and emotion regulation in adolescents: The role of maternal maladaptive emotion regulation.

While a substantial body of research has demonstrated associations between family factors and adolescent suicide risk, little is known about whether maternal mentalizing and emotion regulation play a role in adolescent suicide risk. The objective of this study was to test whether maternal mentalizing and maternal emotion regulation strategies are related to adolescent suicide risk through adolescents' mentalizing ability and emotion regulation strategies. A total of 130 adolescents and young adults (63.6 % female; aged 15-23 years) and their mothers completed a series of self-report questionnaires assessing their suicide risk, anxiety and depression, mentalizing difficulties and cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Structural equation modeling revealed significant indirect effects between adolescent mentalizing and adolescent suicide risk through adolescent adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation. The results also showed a moderating effect of adolescent anxiety and depression on the relationships between adaptive emotion regulation strategies and suicide risk in adolescents and young adults. Importantly, maternal maladaptive emotion regulation strategies (i.e., self-blame and catastrophizing) have significant effects on suicidal risk through mentalizing difficulties and adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies in adolescents and young adults. Our findings provide preliminary support for the specific roles of maternal emotion regulation strategies by demonstrating that a higher use of maternal maladaptive emotion regulation strategies are associated with less adolescent mentalizing, which in turn contributes to a higher use of maladaptive strategies and a lower use of adaptive strategies among adolescents, thus increasing the risk of suicide in adolescence and young adulthood.

The impact of published guidance on trends in the pharmacological management of depression in children and adolescents- a whole population e-cohort data linkage study in Wales, UK.

This study evaluated the impact of 2015/2016 prescribing guidance on antidepressant prescribing choices in children. A retrospective e-cohort study of whole population routine electronic healthcare records was conducted. Poisson regression was undertaken to explore trends over time for depression, antidepressant prescribing, indications and secondary care contacts. Time trend analysis was conducted to assess the impact of guidance. A total of 643 322 primary care patients in Wales UK, aged 6-17 years from 2010-2019 contributed 3 215 584 person-years of follow-up. Adjusted incidence of depression more than doubled (IRR for 2019 = 2.8 [2.5-3.2]) with similar trends seen for antidepressants. Fluoxetine was the most frequently prescribed first-line antidepressant. Citalopram comprised less than 5% of first prescriptions in younger children but 22.9% (95% CI 22.0-23.8; 95% CI 2533) in 16-17-year-olds. Approximately half of new antidepressant prescribing was associated with depression. Segmented regression analysis showed that prescriptions of 'all' antidepressants, Fluoxetine and Sertraline were increasing before the guidance. This upward trend flattened for both 'all' antidepressants and Fluoxetine and steepened for Sertraline. Citalopram prescribing was decreasing significantly pre guidance being issued with no significant change afterward. Targeted intervention is needed to address rising rates of depression in children. Practitioners are partially adhering to local and national guidance. The decision-making process behind prescribing choices is likely to be multi-factorial. Activities to support implementation of guidance should be adopted in relation to safety in prescribing of antidepressants in children including timely availability of talking therapies and specialist mental health services.

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Short-Form Video Addiction and Adolescent Depression: The Mediating Role of Attentional Bias.

Previous studies have shown that short-form video addiction (SVA) is a significant predictor of adolescent depression. However, little is known about the mediating mechanisms. Guided by the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between SVA and depression among Chinese adolescents and to examine the mediating role of attentional bias toward positive information (API) and negative information (ANI), including potential gender differences. A total of 4750 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 16.01, SD = 0.76, 62.15 percent male) completed self-reported scales for SVA, API, ANI, and depression. The structural equation modeling results indicated that both API and ANI mediated the relationship between SVA and depression. Moreover, multigroup analyses revealed that the mediating effect of ANI was significantly stronger in female than in male adolescents. These findings enhance our understanding of the relationship between SVA and depression in adolescents and suggest that developing gender-specific interventions could mitigate the detrimental effects of SVA on depression.

Does Gender Matter? The Mediating Role of Gender Attitudes on the Associations Between Grandparenting Styles and Adolescent Depression Among Skipped-Generation Families in Rural China

Does Gender Matter? The Mediating Role of Gender Attitudes on the Associations Between Grandparenting Styles and Adolescent Depression Among Skipped-Generation Families in Rural China

Exploring the relationship between eco-anxiety and suicide risk in adolescents with mental health disorders: insights from a cross-sectional observational study

IntroductionA limited number of studies have explored the connection between eco-anxiety, anxiety, and depression in adolescents. However, the relation between eco-anxiety and suicide remains unexamined. This cross-sectional observational study aims to bridge this gap by investigating the correlation between eco-anxiety intensity and suicide risk severity in adolescents.MethodsWe used validated French versions of the Climate Anxiety Scale (CAS) and its two key dimensions (cognitive and emotional and functional impairments), alongside the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD).ResultsOur study involved 87 hospitalized adolescent patients, aged 12–16. Although, the univariate model indicated a significant association between the CAS and the C-SSRS (β = 2.58; p = 0.049), the cognitive/emotional difficulties and functional impairment dimensions of eco-anxiety, considering different confounding factors, did not show statistical associations with the severity of suicide risk (respectively, p = 0.81 and p = 0.76).DiscussionIn an expansive literature, these results show for the first time that eco-anxiety may not be the priority of adolescents seen by adolescent psychiatrists. Such an observation would imply not overmedicalizing a dimension of life which perhaps does not fall solely within the field of medicine, but which concerns environmental issues broader than medical field. However, an ethical and prudent approach in mental health care for this particularly fragile population remains necessary. This intersection of eco-anxiety and suicide in youth opens up new avenues of research in the realm of environmental and mental health studies.

Associations of screen time with symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in adolescents.

To examine the associations between self-reported screen time and symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 982 adolescents aged between 12 and 15 years, enrolled in public schools in Jacarezinho (PR), Brazil. Screen time was assessed by the question "Considering a typical day, how much time do you spend watching TV, playing videogame, using computer or smartphone?" The DASS-21 questionnaire (short form) was used to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Crude and adjusted analyses (age, sex, and maternal level of education) between screen time and mental disorders symptoms were performed using general linear regression models, with Poisson distribution, with significance level at p<0.05. Higher depressive symptoms were observed in adolescents who reported screen time of 4-6 hours/day (PR 1.35, 95%CI 1.13-1.61) and ≥6 hours/day (PR 1.88, 95%CI 1.62-2.19), compared with their pairs with <2 hours/day. The same was observed for anxiety symptoms with screen time of 4-6 hours/day (PR 1.23, 95%CI 1.04-1.46) and ≥6 hours/day (PR 1.50, 95%CI 1.28-1.77); and stress, with 4-6 hours/day (PR 1.25, 95%CI 1.08-1.44) and ≥6 hours/day (PR 1.49, 95%CI 1.30-1.71), also compared with their pairs with <2 hours/day. Screen time was positively associated with depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms in adolescents. Special attention should be given to those who spend more than four hours a day in front of a screen.

Academic Pressure and Psychological Imbalance in High School Students: Predictors of Depression via Polynomial Regression and Response Surface Analysis.

The purpose of this study was to explore how the congruence between academic pressure and psychological imbalance affects depressive symptoms in adolescents and to further explore grade-level differences in these effects among high school students. The study population consisted of 29,975high school students from 20 schools in Liuyang City, Hunan Province. The Mental Health Scale for Secondary School Students (MSSMHS) and Self-Depression Scale (SDS) were used to assess academic pressure, psychological imbalance and depressive symptoms. The effects of academic pressure and psychological imbalance were examined by polynomial regression and response surface analysis. The results showed that the lowest level of academic pressure (F = 35.99, p < 0.001), psychological imbalance (F = 54.50, p < 0.001), and depressive symptoms (F = 9.36, p < 0.001) was found in repeaters, while the highest level was found in twelfth graders. Academic pressure was positively associated with psychological disequilibrium, and both were positively associated with adolescent depressive symptoms. Furthermore, when academic pressure and psychological imbalance are aligned, adolescent depressive symptoms increase with the first two. In addition, adolescent depressive symptoms decreased as the difference between academic pressure and psychological imbalance increased. This study elucidates the non-linear relationship between academic pressure, psychological imbalance and depressive symptoms, and that adopting appropriate strategies to reduce academic pressure and adjust psychological balance is crucial for the prevention of depression in adolescents.

Safety and efficacy of early augmentation with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is an emerging modality with demonstrated efficacy in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), however, there is paucity of research in adolescent depression. This study attempts to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tDCS in adolescents with MDD as an early augmentation to drug therapy. Adolescents with MDD aged 10-18 years were enrolled in the study and allocated to active or sham groups as per randomization. Sertraline was given in the range of 25-50 mg to each participant. After baseline assessments, 10 sessions of tDCS were given with 2 mA current for 20 minutes, keeping anode at left DLPFC and cathode at right DLPFC. Side effects were assessed and rating scales were reapplied at 2 weeks and then 6 weeks. Results were analyzed. A total of 32 patients were analysed (15-active, 17-sham). At 2 weeks, the BDI and BAI scores of the true group were significantly lower than the sham group, and the reduction in the scores of the former was statistically greater. This significance did not persist at 6 weeks, and the reduction in the scores of the two groups was significantly different from baseline to 2-weeks and 6-weeks. Response and remission rates were higher in the active group at 6 weeks. Adverse effects were comparable. tDCS is safe and effective for early augmentation of drugs in adolescents with MDD. However, effects do not last long after termination of sessions. Further studies are needed with a larger sample size and longer follow-ups.

Parental Self-Efficacy for reducing the risk of adolescent depression and anxiety during a pandemic: Scale Development and Validation.

Parental Self-Efficacy for reducing the risk of adolescent depression and anxiety during a pandemic: Scale Development and Validation.

초기 청소년이 지각한 부모양육태도, 우울, 스마트폰 중독의 종단적 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal relationship between perceived parenting style, depression, and smartphone addiction in early adolescents. Methods For the purpose of this study, the data of 2,670 elementary school fourth graders from the Korean Child and Youth Panel Survey (KYCPS) 2018 were used for three years from 2018 (1st wave) to 2020 (3rd wave), and analyzed by the autoregressive cross-lagged model, which can confirm the mutual causal relationship between the three variables. The research steps included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and autoregressive cross-lagged analysis. Results The results of the analysis showed that, first, negative parenting, depression, and smartphone addiction at the previous time point significantly predicted negative parenting, depression, and smartphone addiction at the next time point, indicating that the relationship between the three latent variables was stable over the three-year time period. Second, the interaction effects of negative parenting, depression, and smartphone addiction were different. There was a significant cross-lagged effect between depression and smartphone addiction, suggesting a mutual causal relationship between depression and smartphone addiction. There were no cross-lagged effects between negative parenting and depression, and negative parenting and smartphone addiction. Conclusions The relationship between perceived parenting style, depression, and smartphone addiction in early adolescents is consistent over time, suggesting the need for psychoeducational interventions during early adolescence. Furthermore, the reciprocal relationship between depression and smartphone addiction in early adolescents suggests that proactive efforts to prevent depression and smartphone addiction in the early school years are needed.

Treating Adolescent Depression: Exploring Neurofeedback Training, Dhikr, and Community Stigma in Complementary Therapies (A Case Study)

Adolescent depression, particularly when complicated by psychotic features, presents significant challenges in treatment due to its complex and multifaceted nature. This case study explores the integration of neurofeedback training and Dhikr, an Islamic meditative practice, as complementary therapies alongside traditional pharmacotherapy in treating a 15 years old male diagnosed with severe recurrent depression. Despite initial reluctance and skepticism influenced by community stigma surrounding mental health and spiritual practices, both therapies contributed to noticeable improvements in the patient's symptoms and overall well-being. Neurofeedback was utilized to regulate brainwave activity, while Dhikr provided a meditative and spiritual component that promoted mindfulness and inner peace. The case highlights the importance of addressing community stigma, personalized treatment plans, and holistic approaches in managing adolescent depression, ultimately leading to better engagement and therapeutic outcomes.

Cognitive factors as mediators of the relationship between childhood trauma and depression symptoms: the mediating roles of cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination, and social problem-solving

ABSTRACT Background: Childhood trauma has negative immediate and long-term impacts on depression. Questions remain, however, regarding the cognitive factors influencing this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the role of three cognitive factors – cognitive overgeneralisation, rumination and social problem-solving – as mediating factors in the relationship between childhood trauma and symptoms of depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Iran from March to July 2023. Participants (N = 227; Mean age 32.44 ± 8.95 years) with depression completed measures of childhood trauma, depression, self-overgeneralisation, cognitive errors, memory specificity, rumination and social problem-solving. The conceptual model was assessed using structural equation modelling. Results: Structural equation modelling indicated that childhood trauma had a positive direct effect on depression symptoms. Childhood trauma had a positive indirect effect on depression symptoms through both self-overgeneralisation and rumination and a negative indirect effect on depression through effective social problem-solving strategies. Conclusions: The findings suggest increased exposure to childhood trauma may be associated with elevated depression and self-overgeneralisation, rumination, and effective social problem-solving strategies may play an important role in this relationship. These findings hold potential implications for those working with patients with depression and a history of childhood trauma.