Major depressive disorder in adolescence: the role of subthreshold symptoms
Abstract
Objective To examine the longitudinal association between individual subthreshold symptoms and onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescence.Method Data for analysis come from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project, a prospective epidemiological study of psychological disorders among adolescents, ages 14 to 18 years, from the general community. A total of 1,709 adolescents completed the initial diagnostic assessments between 1987 and 1989 (T1) and approximately 1 year later (T2), 1,507 adolescents returned for readministration of assessments (88% response).Results After controlling for history of depression and gender, seven of the nine DSM-III-R symptoms of depression predicted MDD incidence when tested in separate models. Endorsement of each symptom at T1 increased the likelihood of MDD incidence between T1 and T2. A summary model that included the seven DSM-III-R symptoms as predictors was significant, with sad mood contributing unique variance to the prediction of MDD onset (odds ratio = 2.01).Conclusions These findings suggest that much of the variance is shared among symptom predictors and the co-occurrence of symptoms is what constitutes the greatest risk. Moreover, the presence of sad mood contributes additional unique variance to prediction and supports the centrality of depressed mood to MDD.
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In a study of adolescent-onset depression, depressed mood explained unique variance in the prediction of later depression.
“In a study of adolescent-onset depression, depressed mood explained unique variance in the prediction of later depression.45”
From Subthreshold Symptoms of Depression in Preadolescent Girls Are Stable and Predictive of Depressive Disorders (2008) · cites this paper as [45]
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- Authors
- GEORGIADES, K., LEWINSOHN, P. M., MONROE, S. M., & SEELEY, J. R.
- Affiliations
- Oregon Research Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- GEORGIADES, KATHOLIKI
- Venue
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-08
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 936-944
- ISSN
- 0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2058386057
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 4.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH40501)
- 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
- major depressive disorder, adolescence, subthreshold depression, sad mood, symptom co-occurrence, risk factors for depression
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Demography, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Severity of Illness Index, Prevalence, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
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