Subthreshold depression in adolescence: a systematic review
Abstract
In adolescence, the number of depressive symptoms is rising notably. Individuals may have relevant depressive symptoms without meeting the full criteria of a major depressive episode (MDE), a condition referred to as subthreshold depression (sD). This article presents a review on adolescent sD examining the prevalence, the quality of life (QoL), the risk of developing MDE, and preventive programs available for adolescents living with sD. A systematic literature search from the year of the introduction of Diagnostic and Statistic Manual for Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) until 2012 (18 years) was conducted with a special focus on adolescent sD. Data from 27 studies were included into this review. The results show high prevalence of sD among adolescents, with a negative impact on QoL, and provide evidence that sD is a significant risk indicator of later MDE; therefore, individuals with sD represent good targets for preventive interventions. Our review highlights the fact that sD is a significant health problem among adolescents indeed, and adolescents with sD could be a subgroup of youth, who need further help to reduce their clinically significant depressive symptoms for the successful prevention of a later MDE.
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Subclinical symptoms enhance the risk of developing a mental disorder later on.
“enhance the risk of developing a mental disorder later on [19–21]”
From Efficacy of a transdiagnostic Internet prevention approach in adolescents (EMPATIA study): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [19]
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“Depressive symptoms during adolescence are associated with an increased risk of depression, other mental health disorders, and behavioural problems in later life (Bertha & Balázs, 2013; McLeod, Horwood, & Fergusson, 2016).”
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“Subclinical symptoms are highly prevalent in adolescence [13, 14], associated with neurobiological and cognitive abnormalities [15–18], and enhance the risk of developing a mental disorder later on [19–21].”
Background
- Authors
- Bertha, E. A., & Balázs, J.
- Affiliations
- Semmelweis University (HU)
- Eötvös Loránd University (HU)
- Corresponding author
- Bertha, Eszter A.
- ORCID
- Balázs, Judit
- Venue
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Published
- 2013-04-12
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 589-603
- ISSN
- 1018-8827 (ISSN-L)
- 1435-165X
- OpenAlex
- W2027506596
- Cited by
- 398
- References
- 71
- Citations by year
- 2026: 25 · 2025: 37 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 67 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 2.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- subthreshold depression, adolescent depression, depressive symptoms, major depressive episode, prevalence, quality of life, preventive interventions, DSM-IV diagnostic criteria
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Quality of Life, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Prevalence
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