title: What happens to depressed adolescents? A follow-up study into early adulthood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study describes the mental illness and psychosocial outcomes of adolescents who experienced a depressive disorder and identifies predictors of full remission and recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  140 adolescents with major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, or depressive disorder NOS were offered psychosocial and/or antidepressant treatment across two clinical trials. Three to nine years later (mean 5.7 years), 111 adolescents and young adults completed self-, parent- and clinician-reported measures of psychopathology and psychosocial functioning in a naturalistic follow-up study. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis 1 Disorders was used to determine the presence or absence of depressive disorder as well as other Axis 1 Disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By the follow-up assessment, most adolescents made a full remission from their index depressive disorder (92.6%). Recurrence of depressive disorder (52.4%) during the follow-up period was common, as was the experience of other disorders including anxiety, substance abuse and eating disorders. Time to full remission and recurrence did not vary between baseline types of depressive disorder. Self-reported depressive symptoms and anxiety disorder were associated with failure to achieve full remission while socio-economic status, self-reported self-efficacy and depressive symptoms were associated with recurrence of depressive disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to different treatment starting times, the length of the follow up period varied by up to 5.2 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents who experience depressive disorder are at high risk of ongoing mental illness and psychosocial impairment. Predictors of the course of depressive disorder may be of use in determining which adolescents may require more intensive intervention.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, School of Psychology & Psychiatry, Monash University, Australia. glenn.melvin@monash.edu
authors.forename: Glenn A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Melvin
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dudley
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taffe
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tonge
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: Adolescent; Depressive disorder; Early adulthood; Recurrence; Remission