Cited by 72Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentMental Health Treatment and AccessMental Health Research Topics

Trends in childhood and adolescent internalizing symptoms: Results from Swedish population based twin cohorts

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Durbeej, Natalie, Sörman, Karolina, Norén Selinus, Eva, Lundström, Sebastian, Lichtenstein, Paul, Hellner, Clara, Halldner, Linda·2019·BMC Psychology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous research has noted trends of increasing internalizing problems (e.g., symptoms of depression and anxiety), particularly amongst adolescent girls. Cross-cohort comparisons using identical assessments of both anxiety and depression in youth are lacking, however. METHODS: In this large twin study, we examined trends in internalizing symptoms in samples of 9 year old children and 15 year old adolescents, gathered from successive birth cohorts from 1998 to 2008 (age 9) and 1994-2001 (age 15). Assessments at age 9 were parent-rated, and at age 15 self- and parent-rated. We examined (i) the relation between birth cohorts and internalizing symptoms using linear regressions, and (ii) whether percentages of participants exceeding scale cut-off scores changed over time, using Cochrane Armitage Trend Tests. RESULTS: Among 9 year old children, a significantly increasing percentage of participants (both boys and girls) had scores above cut-off on anxiety symptoms, but not on depressive symptoms. At age 15, a significantly increasing percentage of participants (both boys and girls) had scores above cut-off particularly on self-reported internalizing symptoms. On parent-reported internalizing symptoms, only girls demonstrated a corresponding trend. CONCLUSION: In line with previous studies, we found small changes over sequential birth cohorts in frequencies of depression and anxiety symptoms in children. Further, these changes were not exclusive to girls.

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Authors
Durbeej, N., Sörman, K., Norén Selinus, E., Lundström, S., Lichtenstein, P., Hellner, C., & Halldner, L.
Affiliations
  • Uppsala University (SE)
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • University of Gothenburg (SE)
Corresponding author
Halldner, Linda
Venue
BMC Psychology
Published
2019-08-02
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
50-50
ISSN
2050-7283 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2966406678
Cited by
72
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 1
FWCI
8.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DiVA at Umeå University (Umeå University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Uppsala University Publications (Uppsala University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
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 › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
internalizing problems, childhood anxiety, adolescent depression, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, birth cohort trends, gender differences, self-reported symptoms, parent-reported symptoms, twin cohort
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Anxiety, Child, Defense Mechanisms, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Sweden, Cohort Studies

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