Childhood Depression Can Have Lasting Impact on Well-Being in Adulthood

Nearly 14% of youth aged between 12 and 17 in the United States reported at least one major depressive episode in the past year, according to Mental Health America.

A decades-long study has found that childhood depression is associated with poorer well-being indicators in adulthood, including:

• Anxiety and substance use disorders
• Worse health and social functioning
• Less financial and educational achievement
• Increased criminality

"We really wanted to understand the long-term consequences of childhood depression," William Copeland, PhD, a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Vermont who led the study, tells Verywell. "We think that the results were pretty persuasive about this independent effect of childhood depression on adult outcomes."

Although the links between childhood depression and poor adult outcomes were strong, researchers found that mental health interventions can help. Those who received effective and timely treatment were less likely to struggle with worsening mental health problems in their adulthood, particularly with anxiety.

Timing of the First Depressive Episode

One of the biggest challenges in evaluating long-term consequences of depression is that it requires repeating structured interviews over a long period of time, Copeland says. The latest findings are based on an ongoing community-based project that started tracking 1,420 participants in the southeast U.S. in 1993.

Children between the ages of nine and 16 were first assessed for depression symptoms through up to eight interviews. Researchers followed up with the same participants during young adulthood to evaluate not only mental and physical health, but also social, legal, educational, and professional statuses.

Although any depressive episode predicted struggles in early adulthood, researchers also found that timing of the first depressive episode made a difference. Individuals with adolescent-onset depression had worse long-term outcomes than those who first experienced depression in childhood.

"But the strongest predictor of adult functioning really was the level of symptoms that you had on average across childhood and adolescence," Copeland says. "It's just as bad, and maybe worse, to have these symptoms chronically."

It's important to keep in mind that these findings may not be applicable to every young adult. For example, the study sample is skewed towards Native Americans while Black and Hispanic Americans are underrepresented compared to a national sample. Still, Copeland adds, their findings have been consistent with nationally representative studies.

Implications for Mental Health Treatment and Policy

There is no silver bullet for treating and preventing early depression, Copeland says, but there are various interventions and policy changes that can help.

Identifying children who are most at-risk, perhaps through screening in primary care or schools, could be helpful for intervention, Copeland says. In addition to seeking adequate mental health care during childhood, access to treatment should stay open throughout life transitions—for example, when moving, going to college, or starting a new job.

In terms of policy, Copeland says he's excited about the child tax credit, which doles out money to families with children that make less than certain income limits. Eligible families can receive $3,000 per child ages six to 17 and $3,600 per child under the age of six. Copeland hopes that the tax credit could act as a cushion, easing families' financial stress. This extra income could open up access to mental health care for vulnerable children and teens.

"Most folks who have depression tend to have it for the first time in the first two decades of their lives," Copeland says, noting that receiving early treatment can have a positive long-term influence on one's life.