Research paperChildhood social adversity and risk of depressive symptoms in adolescence in a US national sample

- Children exposed to social adversity report higher levels of adolescent depressive symptoms captured by two depression scales.
- Single-parent household and residential instability are particularly associated with depressive symptoms.
- Exposure to cumulative social adversity in childhood is particularly associated with increased risk of adolescent depression.
- The timing of exposure appear to have little effect on the risk of adolescent depressive symptoms.

ObjectiveChildhood social adversity has been associated with an increased risk of depression and other psychiatric disorders in adolescence and early adulthood. However, the role of timing and accumulation of adversities has not yet been established in longitudinal studies. We examined the association between childhood adversities and adolescent depressive symptoms, and the impact of timing and accumulation of adversity.MethodLongitudinal data were obtained from the Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (n=2223), a nationally representative survey of US families that incorporates data from parents and their children. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to estimate effects of childhood social adversity on adolescent depressive symptoms, presented as Incidence Rate Ratios with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsChildren exposed to social adversity reported higher levels of adolescent depressive symptoms captured by two depression scales. Single-parent household and residential instability were particularly associated with depressive symptoms. A positive relationship was found between cumulative adversity and the risk of adolescent depression. The timing of exposure appeared to have little effect on the risk of adolescent depressive symptoms.LimitationsThe structure of the data implies that alternative causal pathways cannot be fully discounted. The self- or parent-reported data is subject to recall bias.ConclusionOur findings support the long-term negative impact of childhood adversity on adolescent depressive symptoms, regardless of when in childhood the adversity occurs. Policies and interventions to reduce adolescent depressive symptoms need to consider the social background of the family as an important risk or protective factor.