A more open attitude toward mental health issues and treatment may influence how young people describe their wellbeing.
Digital Desk: The researchers at the University of Gothenburg discovered that even though adolescent mental wellness reports have improved most people facing depression show greater symptom intensity than previous generation.
The researchers evaluated depressive symptoms among two groups of children aged 13 to 16 years through the internationally accepted Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). One group is from 2004 and the other group is from 2019-2020.
Research shows that 29% of adolescents demonstrated depressive symptoms in 2019-2020 while their numbers were at 21% in 2004. A major change emerged between the two groups because more teens within the later group showed excellent mental health. The percentage of teenagers scoring very low on the CDI reached 33% in 2019-2020 while it only stood at 15% during 2004.
The patients dealing with depression expressed higher levels of sadness than their previous situation. Adolescents with depressive symptoms in 2019-2020 scored higher on self-deprecating thoughts and negative self-perception compared to their 2004 counterparts.
The present generation of teens who experience severe depressive symptoms rates themselves higher than earlier cohorts according to district nurse Carl Wikberg along with his role as an adjunct senior lecturer at Sahlgrenska Academy particularly in self-deprecation which predominantly impacts young females.
During the 2019-2020 group expressed more extreme self-hatred as they stated things such as "Nothing is fun at all, I am bad all the time, and I can never be as good as other kids." The research findings are disturbing but according to Wikberg the increase in youth with sound mental health brings hope to the situation.
The research failed to discover specific factors behind these modifications although it demonstrated that increased public mindfulness regarding mental health might influence the way adolescents describe their mental state.
The identification of adolescents with elevated CDI scores requires well-trained personnel from both school health services and primary care units. The research included 617 adolescents from 2019-2020 in addition to 80 participants from 2004 for a project investigating depression in Sweden.
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