B3998 - Development of anxiety and depression in young people explaining individual and cross-cohort differences in risk outcomes - 22/02/2022
Adolescence is marked by rapid social and biological change and a sharp rise in the incidence of depression and some forms of anxiety. Youth anxiety and depression are typically foreshadowed by earlier childhood difficulties and exposure to multiple adversities; additionally, there are far-reaching consequences for outcomes in adulthood – for education and employment, relationships with others, and physical and mental health. Young people today are also more likely to experience anxiety and depression than previous generations.
There is substantial variability in the developmental course of depression and anxiety, with our own research showing distinct developmental pathways leading to depression, and differences in outcomes. For example, some children show chronic or escalating mental health difficulties; others (even those at high risk) do not develop anxiety and depression. Understanding when, how and in whom to intervene to reduce risk is important to prevent anxiety and depression and to improve outcomes. We aim to identify early predictors of risk (social, clinical and genetic), consider protective mechanisms that build mental health resilience and optimise outcomes, and test the causal role of identified risk and protective factors.
Through comparison with other cohorts, we will test the extent to which findings generalise, and what the reasons are for increases in youth depression and anxiety in more recent generations of young people.