Depressive symptom trajectories in suicide-bereaved individuals: A 24-year study from adolescence to adulthood

Adolescents who experience bereavement following suicide are at increased risk for adverse outcomes, including depression. However, there is limited research on the heterogeneity of depressive symptoms or its long-term course among this population. Using a self-reported 3-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) administered across five waves spanning from adolescence to adulthood (1994-2018, with intervals of 1, 5, 7, and 9 years), we identified trajectories of depressive symptoms over a 24-year span in a sample of adolescents (n = 236) who reported at baseline having lost a family member or friend to suicide in the last 12 months. We identified three distinct depressive symptom trajectories: Stable low symptoms (77.5%), initially high but gradually declining symptoms (16.9%), and initially low but gradually increasing symptoms (5.5%). Race, neuroticism, sleep quality, and age were significant predictors that differentiated membership among the three trajectory groups. Implications for developing personalized assessment and intervention are discussed.