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Using mental health care lowers risk for teen depression

Using mental health services in adolescence significantly decreases risk for depression in late adolescence, according to recent findings.

“The association between adolescents’ contact with mental health services and subsequent mental health remains unclear in community samples, but is vital to clarify if adolescent mental health services are to compete for health care funding,” Sharon A. S. Neufeld, BSc, of University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and colleagues wrote. “Findings from studies using broad definitions of mental health problems without a cutoff for service need have shown that use of mental health services had little effect on subsequent mental health problems. However, results are more promising if adolescents are at greater risk of, or already have, a mental disorder.”

To assess long-term changes in depressive symptoms among adolescents after contact with mental health services, researchers conducted a longitudinal cohort study among 1,238 individuals aged 14 years and their primary caregivers. Assessment occurred at months 18 and 36. Current mental disorder was determined via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). Contact with mental health services in the year before baseline was reported by adolescents and caregivers. Adolescents self-reported depressive symptoms using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ) at each timepoint.

Decreases in depressive symptoms were greater among adolescents who had contact with mental health services in the past year (P = .033), compared with those without contact.

At age 17 years, individuals without contact were more than seven times as likely to report clinical depression, compared with those who used services and had similar depressive status at baseline (adjusted OR = 7.38; 95% CI, 1.73-31.5; P = .0069).

“When mental health services are ramped-up, care needs to be taken to reach individuals with mental health needs who would typically not access services, comprising more than 60% of those with a mental disorder in our sample. This approach could include increasing community-based services, and ensuring a clear access point to mental health services, such as a designated individual in every school and primary care practice,” the researchers wrote. “Focused training of such individuals in identification of mental disorders could help to prioritize access to mental health services for young people with a clearly defined need, to the betterment of their mental health and wellbeing.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.