The outcome of episodic versus persistent adolescent depression in young adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
Study of the impact of episodic and persistent depression on psychosocial and mental functioning of young adults.


METHODS
In a longitudinal representative community sample, four groups of subjects were identified who were depressed either in pre-adolescence, late adolescence or young adulthood or persistently depressed across time, and compared among each other and with a young adult control group. The 90th percentile on one or two self-reported symptom scales (i.e., the Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale (CES-D) or the Anxious/Depressed subscale of either the Youth Self-Report (YSR) or the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR)) served as the cut-off for the depression groups. Outcome was studied with regard to various psychosocial variables including life events, coping, self-related cognitions, size and efficiency of the social network, perceived parental behaviour, family relations and mental functioning.


RESULTS
For the large majority of psychosocial variables, the persistent depression group showed the most abnormal scores. The YASR profile of mental functioning at outcome of the persistent depression group was also clearly distinguishable by higher scores from all other groups on the majority of scales. On a few scales, the young adult episodic group was not significantly different from the persistent depression group.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that persistent rather than episodic adolescent depression carries a risk for abnormal psychosocial and mental functioning in young adulthood. The study also reflects the burden of young adult depression.
Steinhausen
Hans-Christoph
HC
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Neumuensterallee 9, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland. steinh@kjpd.unizh.ch
Haslimeier
Claudia
C
Winkler Metzke
Christa
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D013557:Switzerland