Continuity of depression during the transition to adulthood: A 5-year longitudinal study of young women

Objective: To characterize the clinical course and psychosocial correlates of unipolar depression in late adolescent women and to examine the continui ty in affective disturbance from adolescence to early adulthood during the post-high school transition. Method: One hundred fifty-five women aged 17 o r 18 years were recruited from 3 local public high schools and were followe d at yearly intervals for 5 years for clinical and psychosocial outcomes. R esults: The 5-year incidence of first major depressive episode was 36.9%, a nd overall, 47% of the women had one or more episodes of major depression. Risk for recurrence was substantial, and those with onsets prior to the stu dy were more likely to have depressive episodes during the post-high school period. The presence of nonaffective disorder also increased the risk for depression. Young women with major depression during the post-high school t ransition had more negative functional outcomes in school and intimate roma ntic relationships. Conclusions: These results suggest that there is substa ntial continuity in affective disturbance from adolescence to adulthood. Th e risk for both new onset of depression and recurrence is remarkably high d uring late adolescence, and the risk continues throughout early adult years , accompanied by notable interpersonal dysfunction.