Academic pressure contributes to depression in teens

Academic pressure may be putting adolescents at risk of depressive symptoms and, possibly, self-harm, according to new research.

The study included 4,714 adolescents (57.8 percent female) who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Academic pressure was measured at age 15 years using questionnaires and were categorized into tertiles (total scores, 0–26).

Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire at five timepoints between age 16 and 22 years (total scores 0–26), while self-harm was assessed using a questionnaire at four timepoints between age 16 and 24 years.

At age 15 years, the mean composite academic pressure score was 5.98, with scores higher in female than male participants (6.05 vs 5.90). Of the participants, 1,746 were in the low academic pressure tertile, 2,103 were in the middle tertile, and 865 were in the high tertile.

In multivariable analyses, each 1-point increase in academic pressure at age 15 years was associated with a 0.43-point (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.36–0.51) point increase in depressive symptoms. This association was most pronounced at age 16 years (0.53, 95 percent CI, 0.42–0.64) and persisted through age 22 years (0.35, 95 percent CI, 0.23–0.47).

Moreover, each 1-point increase in academic pressure was associated with 8-percent greater odds of self-harm (adjusted odds ratio, 1.08, 95 percent CI, 1.01–1.16), with no differences over time.

The findings underscore the need for interventions to reduce academic pressure and mitigate the associated risks of depression and self-harm in adolescents.