Adolescent Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

The association between green space around schools, screen time for entertainment, and adolescent depressive symptoms: A nationwide study from China

BackgroundNatural green environments are beneficial to people's mental health, while too much screen time may be harmful to adolescents' mental health. However, it is not clear how green spaces and screen time affect mental health together in adolescents. MethodsA total of 22,868 adolescents were recruited from October to December 2021 in eight cities in China, through multistage cluster sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to investigate adolescents' depressive symptoms, and the Normalised Vegetation Index for the 200m, 500m and 1000m buffer zones around the school represents the green cover around the school. We used binary logistic regression to analyse the association between green space, screen time and depressive symptoms. ResultsIn fully adjusted models, the highest quartile of NDVI in the 200m, 500m and 1000m buffer zones around the school was a protective factor for depressive symptoms. For less than 2 h of recreational screen time, the highest quartiles of the NDVI and the association with depressive symptoms were negatively correlated for the 200m, 500m and 1000m buffer zones (NDVI200: 0.904(0.848–0.964)), NDVI500: 0.863(0.808–0.921), NDVI1000: 0.862(0.808–0.920)). The highest quartiles of NDVI in all buffers were not associated with depressive symptoms when the screen time was >2 h. The association between green space and depressive symptoms at lower recreational screen time was observed to be stronger in the group of adolescents with a lower family economic status (NDVI200: 0.780(0.695–0.876), NDVI500: 0.838(0.748–0.938), NDVI1000: 0.783(0.698–0.879)). No potential gender differences were observed. ConclusionsFor adolescents with less than 2 h of recreational screen time per day, the greenery around the school had a protective effect on their mental health, especially for adolescents from economically disadvantaged families. Green spaces around schools are significant in improving health inequities.

12559 Objective Versus Subjective Measures Of Reproductive Development And Psychological Well-Being In Peri-Menarcheal Adolescents: A Pilot Study

Abstract Disclosure: K.C. McCormick: None. M.E. Lujan: None. J. Chang: None. L. Ipp: None. A. Alladeen: None. H. Lamar: None. J. Mendle: None. H. Vanden Brink: None. Introduction: Risk of psychopathology emerges during the pubertal and peri-menarcheal years; however objective physiological measures of maturation often differ from adolescents’ own reports of their development. Understanding how psychological symptoms emerge in relation to both objective and subjective evaluations of reproductive development can provide critical insights into mental health risk and variability in psychological symptom severity during the pre-menarcheal and early post-menarcheal years. Methods: 52 females 9-15 years old (n=16 pre-menarcheal, n=36 <2 years post-menarche) underwent a non-fasting blood draw for reproductive hormones (estradiol, anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)), anthropometry, detailed reproductive and menstrual history, and a series of surveys to evaluate depression (CES-DC), anxiety (MASC), perceptions of pubertal-related change (POPS), and transdiagnostic psychological processes (rumination, emotional clarity) which can contribute to, and are risk factors for, psychopathology. Whether psychological symptoms are associated with objective measures (menarche, gynecological age, reproductive hormone concentrations) versus subjective measures (self-reported tanner stage, severity of dysmenorrhea) were contrasted using t-tests and Pearson Correlation Coefficient analyses (JMP Pro (v17)). Results: The majority of participants (26/36 post-menarcheal and 11/16 pre-menarcheal) exceeded the standard cut-off of 15 for depressive symptoms, consistent with research on mental health symptomatology in this cohort of youth. POPS scores were higher (39±10.9) in post-menarcheal versus pre-menarcheal (31±12.6) adolescents indicating post-menarcheal adolescents reported more puberty-linked change in their lives (Pttest=0.04). Lower emotional clarity was associated with higher AMH concentrations (r= -0.27, p=0.0944). Depressive symptoms tended to be greater (27+14.8) in those with moderate dysmenorrhea versus mild/no dysmenorrhea (19±11.1, Pttest=0.08). Depression (r=0.30, p=0.032) and anxiety symptoms (r=0.32, p=0.027), and rumination (r=0.30, p=0.033) were associated with higher self-reported Tanner scores; POPS was trending (r=0.25, p=0.0776). Neither estradiol nor FSH were associated with any measures of psychological well-being. Conclusion: Both objective measures of reproductive development and adolescent self-reports may help providers assess individual vulnerability to internalizing psychopathology, such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, given population level increases in depressive symptoms in adolescents, researchers should avoid utilizing simple cutoffs for depression and anxiety, which lack specificity and overlook critical variability which can further elucidate mental and physical health dynamics. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Associations of black and sugar-sweetened coffee consumption with depressive symptoms: A longitudinal study of Chinese adolescents

BackgroundPrevious research revealed an association between coffee consumption and depressive symptoms. However, the results differed between studies in adults and adolescents. Additionally, limited research on coffee and depressive symptoms has distinguished between black and sugar-sweetened coffee. Furthermore, few studies have examined the potential sex differences in the abovementioned association. This longitudinal study aimed to explore the associations of black and sugar-sweetened coffee consumption with subsequent depressive symptoms in adolescents while also investigating sex disparities within these associations. MethodsIn this longitudinal study, 10,770 individuals completing standardized questionnaires at baseline and follow-up were included in the main analysis. The data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effects models, and subgroup analyses were grouped according to sex. ResultsAfter adjusting for covariates and baseline depressive symptoms status, adolescents who consumed black coffee daily (OR, 1.45; 95 % CI, 1.14–1.84) had a greater risk of experiencing depressive symptoms compared with those who did not consume it or consumed it monthly. Similarly, in comparison with none or monthly consumers, those who consumed sugar-sweetened coffee weekly (OR, 1.22; 95 % CI, 1.03–1.44) and daily (OR, 1.32; 95 % CI, 1.02–1.73) demonstrated an elevated risk of having depressive symptoms. Subgroup analyses showed that black and sugar-sweetened coffee consumption was associated with depressive symptoms only in males. LimitationsSelf-reported data on coffee consumption and depressive symptoms. ConclusionsAdolescents who consume black or sugar-sweetened coffee weekly or daily are at a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms, with this association appearing to be more pronounced in male adolescents. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The network analysis of anxiety, depression and academic burnout symptom relationships throughout early, middle, and late adolescence.

Previous research has explored the associations between anxiety, depression, and academic burnout primarily from a variable-level perspective. However, there is limited understanding of which symptoms might play a significant role in anxiety, depression, and academic burnout among adolescents at different stages. This study included 7,286 adolescents aged 10 to 18. Questionnaires assessed participants' anxiety, depression, and academic burnout. Network analysis was conducted on the overall sample and segmented by early, middle, and late adolescence to explore relationships between symptoms and variations in symptom expression across these stages, aiming to propose effective interventions targeting anxiety, depression, and academic burnout symptoms in early, middle, and late adolescence. The study found that "feeling that studying is meaningless" emerged as a core symptom in the overall sample. Additionally, "acting or speaking slowly" emerged as a core symptom in early adolescence, while "the thought of dying or hurting" and "feeling bad about yourself, letting your family down" were prominent in middle adolescence, and "easily annoyed or irritable" and "feeling tired" may be prioritized in late adolescence. The varying central symptoms across different adolescent stages suggest the need for targeted interventions. These findings underscore the importance of interventions tailored to specific symptoms to meet the unique needs of adolescents at different developmental stages.

Appearance Comparison, Body Appreciation, and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: Roles of Gender, Age, and Body-Mass Index.

This study aimed to examine the association between appearance comparison and adolescent depressive symptoms, the mediating role of body appreciation, and the moderating roles of gender and body-mass index (BMI) among adolescents in different age groups. A cross-sectional sample of 2645 Chinese students aged 12-16 years (44.7% girls) participated. The measurements included depressive symptoms, appearance comparison, body appreciation, weight, and height. Multigroup path analysis was used to examine the moderated mediation model. Compared with boys, adolescent girls presented greater levels of appearance, which increased with age. Body appreciation mediated the association between appearance comparison and depressive symptoms in girls, whereas appearance comparison directly correlated with depressive symptoms in boys. Body appreciation decreased with increasing BMI in boys but remained relatively stable in girls. Similar patterns were observed among junior and senior high school students. This study underscores the significant relationship between appearance comparison and adolescent depressive symptoms, suggesting varied mechanisms based on gender and BMI levels.

Federated learning-based prediction of depression among adolescents across multiple districts in China

Depression in adolescents is a serious mental health condition that can affect their emotional and social well-being. Detailed understanding of depression patterns and status of depressive symptoms in adolescents could help identify early intervention targets. Despite the growing use of artificial intelligence for diagnosis and prediction of mental health conditions, the traditional centralized machine learning methods require aggregating adolescents' data; this raises concerns about confidentiality and privacy, which hampers the clinical application of machine learning algorithms. In this study, we use federated learning to solve those problems. We included 583,405 middle and high school adolescents from 20 districts in Chengdu China, and collected from three aspects: individuals, families, and schools, containing 11 psychological phenomena to evaluate the status of depressive symptoms. We compared federated and local training frameworks; the results showed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for depression increased by up to 20 % (from 0.7544 with local training to 0.9064 with federated training). Moreover, based on the best-performing model, the XGBoost model, we explore the data heterogeneity in federated learning and found that stress, student burnout, and social connection were the three most important predictors of depression symptoms. We then assessed the impact of each subdimension of depression symptoms, results show that sleep was the most impact one which may provide clues to predict depression symptoms in early stage and improve control and prevention efforts.

Exposure to diesel-related particulate matter, cortisol stress responsivity, and depressive symptoms in adolescents

Exposure to air pollution is associated with higher risk for psychopathology; however, the mechanisms underlying this association are not clear. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress has been implicated in depression. Here, we estimated annual exposure to particulate matter (PM) from diesel emissions in 170 9- to 15-year-old adolescents (56 % female) using their residential addresses and data from nearby monitoring sites. We obtained salivary cortisol samples from participants while they completed a social stress task and calculated area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) and with respect to increase (AUCi) in order to assess cortisol responsivity during stress. Participants also reported on their depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances. Greater exposure to diesel PM was associated with lower cortisol output (AUCg) during stress, which was associated with higher depressive symptoms, particularly for adolescents with more sleep disturbances. Importantly, these effects were independent of household and neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and exposure to early adversity. Thus, HPA-axis dysfunction may be one mechanism through which environmental pollutants affect adolescents’ mental health.

Association of youth climate change worry with present and past mental health symptoms: a longitudinal population-based study

Young people are worried about climate change but the association with current and past mental health symptoms is rarely examined in longitudinal population-based samples. Drawing on a population-based birth cohort from the Canadian province of Quebec (n = 1325), this study used a cross-over design to (1) test the association between climate change worry at age 23-years and concurrent mental health symptoms assessed on standardised instruments, and (2) test the association between adolescent (15 and 17 years) symptoms of anxiety, depression, inattention-hyperactivity, and aggression-opposition and climate worry at age 23-years. Participant sex, cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and parental mental health were adjusted for. Descriptive statistics showed that most participants were worried about climate change: 190 (14.3%) were extremely worried, 383 (28.9%) were very worried, 553 (41.7%) were somewhat worried, and 199 (15.0%) were not at all worried. In analysis 1, worry about climate change was associated with significantly higher concurrent anxiety, depression, and self-harm symptoms, even after adjustment for adolescent symptoms. In analysis 2, anxious adolescents were significantly more likely to be extremely worried about climate change six years later (RRR = 1.51, 95%CI = 1.10–2.07), while aggressive-oppositional adolescents were significantly less likely to be somewhat worried (RRR = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.63–0.0.99), very worried (RRR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.48–0.78), or extremely worried (RRR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.37–0.72). Taken together, participants who were worried about climate change had more concurrent mental health symptoms but were also more likely to have prior symptoms. Adolescents with higher anxiety were more likely to worry about climate change in early adulthood, while those with higher aggression-opposition were less likely to worry. Future studies should track climate worry longitudinally alongside symptoms using prospective follow-up studies.

Association between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in adolescents during the post COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of social peer rejection

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the associations of childhood trauma and its facets with depressive symptoms in depressed adolescents during the post COVID-19 epidemic, and explore the potential mediating role of social peer rejection in these associations. A total of 413 adolescents with depressive disorders completed the Chinese version of the Child Trauma Questionnaire Short Form, the Social Peer Rejection, and the Children’s Depression Inventory. Childhood trauma (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and social peer rejection (β = 0.18, p < 0.01) were positively related to depressive symptoms, after adjustment for demographic factors. Furthermore, social peer rejection partly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms, and the mediation effect ratio was 17.0% (p < 0.001). This study found that childhood trauma and social peer rejection are both risk factors for depressive symptoms, and social peer rejection played a mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms.

The relationship between peer physical and relational victimization and adolescent depressive symptoms: the roles of self-warmth and self-coldness

The relationship between peer physical and relational victimization and adolescent depressive symptoms: the roles of self-warmth and self-coldness

Interpersonal emotion regulation and depressive symptoms in parent-adolescent dyads: A daily-diary investigation.

Deficient parental extrinsic interpersonal emotion regulation (IER, how people regulate others' emotions) is a known risk factor for adolescent depression. Although IER and depression development are transactional, dyadic processes, previous work has almost exclusively focused on how parental IER is associated with adolescent depression. The association between parental IER and adolescent depression, and the associations between adolescent IER and adolescent and parental depression have received little attention. Moreover, most studies have focused on the regulation of negative but not positive affect. We address these gaps by examining associations between parent and adolescent IER and depressive symptoms using the actor-partner interdependence model framework. For 28 days, 112 parent-adolescent dyads (12-18-year-old adolescents) completed a dyadic daily diary, reporting their own depressive symptoms and IER strategies employed in response to dyad members' positive and negative affect. Our results, based on 5,442 data points, show that the use of positive- and negative-affect-worsening IER is associated with more depression in the regulator (be it parent or adolescent). Surprisingly, parents' use of more negative-affect-improving IER was associated with higher levels of their own and adolescents' depression. Finally, adolescents' use of positive-affect-improving IER was associated with their own decreased depression. Overall, parents (vs. adolescents) used more negative- and positive-affect-improving extrinsic IER, whereas adolescents used more positive-affect-worsening extrinsic IER. Our results highlight the importance of using dyadic designs in studying depression and IER, as well as the need to consider who is regulating, the valence of the affect regulated, and the type of strategy used. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The efficacy of mobile applications for reducing depression in adolescents and young adults: A meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

Mobile applications for mental health have the potential to aid people with mental health disorders, especially depression, by providing them with tools and coping mechanisms. Adolescents and young adults, being at risk of depressive symptoms and leading mobile users, are among the main targets of using mobile applications to alleviate symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of mobile application-based psychological interventions in reducing depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults compared to those not exposed to the intervention. We conducted a meta-analysis focusing on mobile applications for reducing depressive symptoms. We searched two databases: MEDLINE and EMBASE and included randomized controlled trials conducted in English among participants aged 18-35 years old who were assessed for depressive symptoms using a validated screening measure and used mobile applications-based psychological interventions. Two of six independent reviewers conducted study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment. A pooled mean standardized difference (Cohen's d) and 95% CI were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed using I2 statistics and forest plot. Egger's test was used for assessing publication bias. After screening 740 references, we identified 12 trials with 1869 participants, with a mean age of participants ranging from 14.70 to 25.1 years. The interventions ranged from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based mobile apps to interactive story-telling apps and apps delivering a mix of CBT, interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents, and dialectical behavior therapy elements. Control groups included information-only, waitlist, no intervention, and treatment as usual. Seven studies used Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess the severity of depressive symptoms, while the other five used different scales. There was no evidence of publication bias (p = 0.325). The mobile applications reduced depression score by 0.08 units of standardized difference more than the control, with a 95% CI of -0.19 to 0.03 (p = 0.294, I2 = 15.4%) using standardized mean difference (SMD) as the effect estimate. In a sensitivity analysis including only studies that used PHQ-9, we found a similar trend, SMD -0.72 (95%CI -1.48 to 0.03). However, both findings were not significant. Current evidence is insufficient to support mobile applications to relieve depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults. Further trials with larger sample size are needed to confirm our findings of a positive trend. With emerging technologies and the high exposure of apps in this population, mobile applications for depression hold promise for the future of treatment and awareness of mental health disorders in this population.

The development of depression and social anxiety symptoms in adolescents and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and desire for peer contact.

Adolescence is a dynamic developmental phase in which contact with peers is crucial for socio-emotional development and wellbeing. Depression and social anxiety show patterns of high onset during this period, and more for girls than boys. Here we examine this development among Dutch adolescents, as well as how desire for more peer contact as a result of social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this increase. We used a longitudinal three-wave design to examine 406 typically developing Dutch adolescents across two consecutive cohorts; Cohort 1: 2016-2019 (N = 138, 53.6% girls, age at T0 M = 13.00, SD = 0.42), Cohort 2: 2017-2020 (N = 268, 63.1% girls, age at T0 M = 13.05, SD = 0.39), final wave during spring 2020 during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure depression and social anxiety symptoms, desire for change in the amount of peer contact during lockdowns, and emotion regulation. Parallel process dual latent growth models and autoregressive cross-lagged models were used to test the hypotheses. Results showed that symptoms of both depression and social anxiety increase during adolescence. Gender analysis reveal a higher initial level and increase in depression symptoms for girls, while levels for boys decreased. Adolescents exposed to the pandemic showed a steeper increase in depression but not in social anxiety. Desire for more peer contact was related to an increase in depression and social anxiety, though only in girls. No evidence was found for moderation of emotion regulation skills concerning COVID evoked emotions on the association between desire for peer contact and anxiety and depression symptom development. Symptoms of social anxiety increased during adolescence in boys and girls. Symptoms of depression increased for girls, but decreased for boys. The increase in depression was greater in a cohort who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. For girls, a desire for more peer contact was associated with an increase of depression and social anxiety symptoms in times of social restrictions.

Reactivity to Peer Rejection Moderates the Effect of Victimization on Adolescent Girls' Depressive Symptoms: A Prospective Study.

Peer victimization and bullying behaviors are prevalent during adolescence and have been linked to depression. This study examined whether peer rejection reactivity, defined as physiological responses to peer exclusion, moderated the associations of victimization and bullying behaviors with depressive symptoms 12 months later in a sample of female youths (N = 79, Mage = 13.37 ± 2.31). Participants underwent the Yale Interpersonal Stressor-Child, during which systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were continuously measured. Parent and youth reports of the youth's depressive symptoms were utilized. Our results demonstrate that peer rejection reactivity moderates the relationship between victimization and subsequent depressive symptoms but does not moderate the relationship between bullying behaviors and subsequent depressive symptoms. Higher victimization was associated with increased youth-reported depressive symptoms among girls with high reactivity but decreased depressive symptoms among girls with low reactivity. Future research can explore whether reducing emotional and physiological reactivity to peer rejection, as well as increasing interpersonal effectiveness in peer relationships, can reduce depressive symptoms in adolescent girls experiencing victimization.

Associations of childhood household dysfunction and healthy lifestyle with depressive symptoms in adolescents

ObjectiveLimited understanding exists regarding the cumulative impact of childhood household dysfunction (CHD) on adolescent depressive symptoms in developing countries, as well as the role of lifestyles in this association. This study aims to explore the associations of individual and cumulative CHD indicators with depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Additionally, we investigate potential interactions and joint associations of CHD and lifestyles on depressive symptoms. MethodsIn the second phase of the Longitudinal Study of Adolescents’ Mental and Behavioral Well-being Research, data on depressive symptoms, CHD indicators, lifestyle factors, and other covariates were collected from 3106 students (mean [SD] age, 15.16 [1.52] years). Linear and logistic mixed-effects models were employed, with both stratified and joint analyses conducted. ResultsExcept for parental death, each CHD indicator was associated with an increased risk of depressive symptoms. The accumulation of CHD indicators exhibited a positive, graded association with depressive symptoms scores (β = 3.22, 95% CI: 2.48 to 3.97 for one CHD indicator; β = 5.45, 95% CI: 4.41 to 6.49 for two or more CHD indicators, all P < 0.01). A significant interaction was found between the number of CHD indicators and the healthy lifestyle score (interaction β = −0.40, 95% CI: −0.78 to −0.03, P < 0.05), indicating that healthy lifestyles may mitigate the risk of depressive symptoms in individuals experiencing CHD. For example, the OR for having depressive symptoms among adolescents with favourable lifestyles compared with those with unfavourable lifestyles was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10 to 0.45, P < 0.01) among those experiencing CHD. Moreover, adolescents with two or more CHD indicators and unfavourable lifestyles faced the highest risk of having depressive symptoms (OR = 8.03, 95% CI: 4.83 to 13.34, P < 0.01) compared with those with no CHD indicator and favourable lifestyles. ConclusionsThese findings underscore the importance of promoting comprehensive healthy lifestyles and reducing CHD exposure for the prevention of depressive symptoms in adolescents.

Psychopathic Traits in Childhood and Depression Symptoms in Adolescence: the Mediating Role of Peer Victimization

Psychopathic Traits in Childhood and Depression Symptoms in Adolescence: the Mediating Role of Peer Victimization

Exploring the Link Between Cyber Victimization and Depression.

Cyber victimization is strongly and positively associated with depressive symptoms in adolescence. Identifying mechanisms of this association is imperative to benefit adolescents' mental health. Applying the General Aggression Model in a theoretically novel way, this study examined a complex mediational pathway between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms. Two hundred seventy-seven adolescent participants (M age = 15.84; 65.7% females) reported their own cyber victimization experiences, depressive symptoms, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral attributions in response to a hypothetical cyber victimization scenario. Path analysis within structural equation modeling was used to test a model where cyber victimization predicted depressive symptoms through characterological self-blame cognitions, sadness emotions, and passive avoidance behaviors. Characterological self-blame was found to partially mediate the positive and significant association between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms. Sadness emotions and passive avoidance behaviors did not emerge as significant mediators. The findings implicate the importance of cognitions in explaining the association between cyber victimization and depression and suggest incorporating cognitive re-framing education into anti-cyberbullying prevention programs.

Adolescent depressive symptoms and memory performance in young adulthood: Testing critical period, accumulation, and pathway models using a sibling comparison design

RationaleDespite the existing literature connecting depressive symptoms with cognitive function in adulthood, there is limited knowledge about the longitudinal association between depressive symptoms in adolescence and memory function in adulthood, as well as the mechanisms underlying this relationship. ObjectivesThis study aims to determine whether depressive symptoms in adolescence are associated with memory function in young adulthood. To explore the underlying mechanisms of this association, it employs a life course approach, testing the critical period, accumulation, and pathway models. MethodsUtilizing data from the sibling sample of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), this study employed sibling fixed effects models to control for unobserved heterogeneity at the family level. To test various life course models, the analysis incorporated adult depressive symptoms, as well as an array of behavioral, psychosocial, and educational mechanism variables. ResultsSibling fixed effects estimates indicated a longitudinal association between depressive symptoms in adolescence and memory function in young adulthood (b = −0.084, p < 0.01). Depressive symptoms in adulthood neither explained nor intensified this association. Mediation analysis revealed that educational attainment modestly accounted for about 11% of the relationship between adolescent depressive symptoms and adult memory function. Combined, these findings lend support to the life course approach, with a specific focus on the critical period model. ConclusionsThis study's findings suggest that depressive symptoms in adolescence are an independent risk factor for memory function in adulthood. The empirical support for the critical period model underscores the importance of implementing early intervention programs and targeted strategies to support adolescents experiencing depressive symptoms.

A cross-sectional study of the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms among adolescents in southwest China stratified by parental absence: the mediating role of insomnia and the moderating role of resilience

ObjectivesThis study explored the mechanisms by which physical activity was associated with depressive symptoms in multi-ethnic (Han, Yi and Tibetan) adolescents in southwest China. The mediating role of insomnia in...

Group metacognitive therapy for children and adolescents with anxiety and depression: A preliminary trial and test of proposed mechanisms

Preliminary research supports the feasibility of metacognitive therapy (MCT) in children with generalized anxiety, but the effectiveness of MCT in treating children with other anxiety and depressive disorders largely remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects associated with MCT in targeting symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents and to investigate mechanisms proposed by the metacognitive model. Ninety-seven participants aged 10–17 years (M = 12.9 ± 1.9, 82.5 % females) with anxiety and depressive disorders received eight sessions of group MCT. Participants were diagnostically assessed at pre- and post-treatment and completed symptom and process measures before, during, and after treatment, and again at three- and six-month follow-up. Multilevel models were conducted to investigate treatment-related and mediation effects. Results showed large reductions in total symptoms following treatment (d = 1.28). These reductions were associated with, and temporally preceded by changes in cognitive attentional syndrome (CAS), metacognitive beliefs, and self-reported attention control, but not objective attention control. Treatment gains were maintained at six-month follow-up (d = 1.18). Our results indicate that MCT may be a promising treatment for children and adolescents with anxiety and depression and provide preliminary evidence of changes in CAS, metacognition, and perceived attention control as potential drivers of treatment effects.