Depressive symptoms during adolescence: comparison between epidemiological and high risk sampling

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Developmental Psychology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Investigating affective disorders often uses epidemiological or high-risk sampling methods.
• High-risk criteria may yield samples not representative of the general population.
• This study aimed to compare depressive symptoms across these sampling methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if high-risk sampling for affective disorders creates a sample not comparable to the general population.
• To compare depressive symptoms in adolescents identified through epidemiological and high-risk sampling.

Main Methods:

• The study utilized two adolescent samples: the Cambridge Hormones and Moods Project (CHAMP, high-risk) and the ROOTS study (epidemiological).
• A total of 905 (CHAMP) and 1,208 (ROOTS) adolescents were assessed using the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire.
• Risk profiles were matched between samples for direct comparison.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in mean depression scores were found between high-risk individuals in CHAMP and ROOTS.
• Female depression scores remained stable from 12 to 15 years, then declined by 17 years.
• High-risk status increased depressive symptoms in females but not males, suggesting sex-specific effects.

Conclusions:

• High-risk sampling for adolescent depression is comparable to general population samples.
• High-risk status may influence depressive symptom trajectories specifically in females.
• Males appear less sensitive to recent adversity concerning depressive symptoms.