Background

Over the past three decades, the prevalence of adolescent emotional problems (ie, anxiety and depression) has risen. Although the onset and developmental course of emotional symptoms shows high variability, no study has directly tested secular differences across development. Our aim was to investigate whether and how developmental trajectories of emotional problems have changed across generations.

Methods

We used data from two UK prospective cohorts assessed 10 years apart: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) including individuals born in 1991–92, and the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) with individuals born in 2000–02. Our outcome was emotional problems, assessed using the parent-rated emotional subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-E) at approximate ages 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, and 17 years in ALSPAC and ages 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, and 17 years in MCS. Participants were included if the SDQ-E was completed at least once in childhood and at least once in adolescence. Trajectories were generated using multilevel growth curve models using the repeated assessments of the SDQ-E in children aged 3–17 years.

Findings

Data were available for 19 418 participants (7012 from ALSPAC and 12 406 from the MCS), of whom 9678 (49·8%) were female and 9740 (50·2%) were male, and 17 572 (90·5%) had White mothers. Individuals born between 2000 and 2002 had higher emotional problem scores from around 9 years (intercept statistic β 1·75, 95% CI 1·71–1·79) than did individuals born in 1991–92 (1·55, 1·51–1·59). The later cohort had an earlier onset of problems than the earlier cohort, and sustained higher average trajectories from around 11 years, with female adolescents showing the steepest trajectories of emotional problems. Differences between cohorts peaked overall at age 14 years.

Interpretation

Our comparison of two cohorts of young people provides evidence that compared with a cohort assessed 10 years prior, emotional problems emerge earlier in development in the more recent cohort, and these are especially pronounced for females during mid-adolescence. Such findings have implications for public health planning and service provision.

Funding

Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health, Wolfson Foundation.

中文翻译：

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英国家长报告的儿童期和青春期情绪问题轨迹的跨群体变化

背景

过去三十年来，青少年情绪问题（即焦虑和抑郁）的患病率有所上升。尽管情绪症状的发生和发展过程显示出很高的变异性，但没有研究直接测试发育过程中的长期差异。我们的目的是调查情绪问题的发展轨迹是否以及如何在几代人之间发生变化。

方法

我们使用了两个相隔 10 年评估的英国前瞻性队列的数据：雅芳父母和儿童纵向研究 (ALSPAC)，包括 1991-92 年出生的个体，以及千禧年队列研究 (MCS)，包括 2000-02 年出生的个体。我们的结果是情绪问题，使用家长评定的优势和困难问卷 (SDQ-E) 情绪分量表进行评估，ALSPAC 大约年龄为 4、7、8、10、11、13 和 17 岁，以及 3、5 岁、7 年、11 年、14 年和 17 年 MCS 经验。如果 SDQ-E 在儿童期至少完成一次并且在青春期至少完成一次，则参与者被纳入。通过对 3-17 岁儿童的 SDQ-E 进行重复评估，使用多级生长曲线模型生成轨迹。

发现

可获得 19 418 名参与者的数据（7012 名来自 ASPAC，12 406 名来自 MCS），其中 9678 名 (49·8%) 为女性，9740 名 (50·2%) 为男性，17 572 名 (90·5%) 为男性有白人母亲。2000 年至 2002 年出生的个体在 9 岁左右的情绪问题得分（截距统计 β 1·75，95% CI 1·71–1·79）高于 1991-92 年出生的个体（1·55，1·51） –1·59)。较晚的队列比较早的队列出现问题的时间更早，并且从大约 11 年来一直保持较高的平均轨迹，其中女性青少年表现出最陡峭的情绪问题轨迹。总体而言，群体之间的差异在 14 岁时达到顶峰。

解释

我们对两组年轻人的比较提供的证据表明，与 10 年前评估的队列相比，最近的队列中情绪问题出现得更早，对于青春期中期的女性来说尤其明显。这些发现对公共卫生规划和服务提供具有影响。

资金

沃尔夫森基金会沃尔夫森青少年心理健康中心。