Longitudinal Relationships Between Help-Seeking Intentions and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Satoshi Yamaguchi; Shuntaro Ando; Mitsuhiro Miyashita; Satoshi Usami; Syudo Yamasaki; Kaori Endo; Jordan DeVylder; Daniel Stanyon; Kaori Baba; Naomi Nakajima; Junko Niimura; Miharu Nakanishi; Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa; Kiyoto Kasai; Atsushi Nishida

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.033

Longitudinal Relationships Between Help-Seeking Intentions and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

J Adolesc Health. 2023 Dec;73(6):1061-1067. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.033. Epub 2023 Sep 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Unit for Mental Health Promotion, Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Center for Research and Development on Transition from Secondary to Higher Education, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
² Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Unit for Mental Health Promotion, Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: miyashita-mt@igakuken.or.jp.
⁴ Center for Research and Development on Transition from Secondary to Higher Education, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Educational Psychology, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
⁵ Unit for Mental Health Promotion, Research Center for Social Science & Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, New York.
⁷ Department of Psychiatric Nursing, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai-shi, Miyagi, Japan.
⁸ School of Advanced Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan.
⁹ Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; UTokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 37665304
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.06.033

Abstract

Purpose: Cross-sectional studies have shown an association between lower help-seeking intentions and greater depressive symptoms among adolescents. However, no longitudinal study has examined the direction of this association. The current study investigated whether help-seeking intentions and depressive symptoms are reciprocally associated at the within-person (individual) level during early to mid-adolescence.

Methods: Longitudinal data on help-seeking intentions and depressive symptoms in adolescents were obtained from a population-based birth cohort study (Tokyo Teen Cohort; N = 3,171) at four time points (10y, 12y, 14y, and 16y). A random intercept cross-lagged panel model was used to evaluate the within-person prospective associations between help-seeking intentions and depressive symptoms.

Results: At the within-person level, significant associations were consistently observed between antecedent greater depressive symptoms and subsequent lower help-seeking intentions across all time points (10y-12y: standardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.12, p < .001; 12y-14y: β = -0.07, p < .05; and 14y-16y: β = -0.09, p < .01). Meanwhile, significant within-person associations were partly observed between antecedent lower help-seeking intentions and subsequent greater depressive symptoms from 10y to 12y (β = -0.07, p < .05) and from 14y to 16y (β = -0.12, p < .001). These prospective associations were almost the same when adjusted for the number of potential confidants as a time-varying confounder.

Discussion: Adolescents with worsening depressive symptoms may become increasingly reluctant to seek help over time. Proactive early recognition and intervention with support from parents, teachers, and other individuals may facilitate the management of depression in adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescence; Depressive symptoms; Help-seeking; Longitudinal; Random intercept cross-lagged panel model; Within-person analysis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression*
Humans
Intention*
Interpersonal Relations
Longitudinal Studies