Longitudinal Predictors of Depression in Young Adults

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research project will utilize an existing database to explore protective and risk factors likely to affect depression outcomes in young adult populations. The longitudinal data set will include a sample of at-risk youth assessed over a 6.5 year period, with depressive symptoms collected at each wave and diagnoses information at baseline and a 5.5 and 6.5 year follow-up. Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling, a longitudinal model of first-level risk and protective factors related to trajectories that alleviate or exacerbate depression outcomes in young adulthood will be explored. Further, second-level moderators (e.g., family/relationship cohesion, social support, educational attainment) of the relationship between the longitudinal predictors and depression outcomes in early adolescence will be examined. The unique sample (250 homeless and 149 matched, housed youth) will allow for investigation of differences between these two' groups that have not been adequately sampled or compared to at this point in the literature. With this longitudinal database and the type of data analysis employed, the trainee will be able to fully assess trajectories of depression over the transition to adulthood.