Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart
Background: Depression in adolescence is a significant global health concern, notably in Sweden where recent trends suggest an increase in depressive symptoms among adolescents. This study aims to explore changes in the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among Swedish high school studen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Affective Disorders Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000083 |
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| author | Carl Wikberg Pia Augustsson Marcus Praetorius Björk Tord Ivarsson Gudny Sveinsdottir Eiríkur Örn Arnarson W. Edward Craighead Ina Marteinsdottir Josefine Lilja |
| author_facet | Carl Wikberg Pia Augustsson Marcus Praetorius Björk Tord Ivarsson Gudny Sveinsdottir Eiríkur Örn Arnarson W. Edward Craighead Ina Marteinsdottir Josefine Lilja |
| author_sort | Carl Wikberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Depression in adolescence is a significant global health concern, notably in Sweden where recent trends suggest an increase in depressive symptoms among adolescents. This study aims to explore changes in the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among Swedish high school students over the past two decades, utilizing the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Method: A cohort study was conducted with two adolescent groups aged 13–16 years old, born nearly twenty years apart. The first cohort (n = 80), recruited in 2004, and the second (n = 617), recruited between 2019 and 2020, were both assessed using the CDI. The study employed a comparative analysis, using independent samples t-tests, ANOVA, and the Mann-Whitney U test for item-specific comparisons. Results: The analysis revealed no significant differences in total CDI scores between the 2004 and 2019/20 cohorts. However, the later cohort exhibited higher scores on three CDI items (''Nothing is fun at all,'' ''I am bad all the time,'' ''I can never be as good as other kids'') and in the sub-domain of self-deprecation. Sex differences were observed, with girls scoring higher than boys in both cohorts. Conclusion: There is no statistically significant increase in self-assessed levels of depressive symptoms among adolescents when comparing the 2004 and 2019–20 cohorts. However, there are higher scores in specific areas of the CDI in the later cohort, particularly among young women. This study underscores the need for continuous, structured assessments of adolescent mental health, considering societal changes and trends. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-edff1771cb554263aae39cd3130b3c83 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-9153 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Affective Disorders Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-edff1771cb554263aae39cd3130b3c832025-02-07T04:48:28ZengElsevierJournal of Affective Disorders Reports2666-91532025-04-0120100878Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apartCarl Wikberg0Pia Augustsson1Marcus Praetorius Björk2Tord Ivarsson3Gudny Sveinsdottir4Eiríkur Örn Arnarson5W. Edward Craighead6Ina Marteinsdottir7Josefine Lilja8General Practice/Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Research, Education, Development and Innovation, Primary Health Care, Sweden; Corresponding author at: University of Gothenburg, Primary Health Care, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Guldhedsgatan 5A, 413 20 Gothenburg, Sweden.General Practice/Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Research, Education, Development and Innovation, Primary Health Care, SwedenGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Region Västra Götaland, Research, Education, Development and Innovation, Primary Health Care, SwedenDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg, SwedenRegion Västra Götaland, Research, Education, Development and Innovation, Primary Health Care, SwedenFaculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Reykjavík, Iceland; Department of Psychiatry, Landspítali-University Hospital, Reykjavík, IcelandDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USADepartment of Medicine and Optometry, Linnaeus University, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, SwedenGeneral Practice/Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SwedenBackground: Depression in adolescence is a significant global health concern, notably in Sweden where recent trends suggest an increase in depressive symptoms among adolescents. This study aims to explore changes in the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among Swedish high school students over the past two decades, utilizing the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Method: A cohort study was conducted with two adolescent groups aged 13–16 years old, born nearly twenty years apart. The first cohort (n = 80), recruited in 2004, and the second (n = 617), recruited between 2019 and 2020, were both assessed using the CDI. The study employed a comparative analysis, using independent samples t-tests, ANOVA, and the Mann-Whitney U test for item-specific comparisons. Results: The analysis revealed no significant differences in total CDI scores between the 2004 and 2019/20 cohorts. However, the later cohort exhibited higher scores on three CDI items (''Nothing is fun at all,'' ''I am bad all the time,'' ''I can never be as good as other kids'') and in the sub-domain of self-deprecation. Sex differences were observed, with girls scoring higher than boys in both cohorts. Conclusion: There is no statistically significant increase in self-assessed levels of depressive symptoms among adolescents when comparing the 2004 and 2019–20 cohorts. However, there are higher scores in specific areas of the CDI in the later cohort, particularly among young women. This study underscores the need for continuous, structured assessments of adolescent mental health, considering societal changes and trends.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000083DepressionScreeningSelf-assessmentAdolescentsCohort study |
| spellingShingle | Carl Wikberg Pia Augustsson Marcus Praetorius Björk Tord Ivarsson Gudny Sveinsdottir Eiríkur Örn Arnarson W. Edward Craighead Ina Marteinsdottir Josefine Lilja Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart Journal of Affective Disorders Reports Depression Screening Self-assessment Adolescents Cohort study |
| title | Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| title_full | Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| title_fullStr | Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| title_short | Self-assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two Swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| title_sort | self assessed depressive symptoms in adolescents comparing two swedish cohorts born 15 years apart |
| topic | Depression Screening Self-assessment Adolescents Cohort study |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000083 |
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