Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Emerging Adulthood in a Low-Income Urban Cohort

Abstract

This study examined predictors of depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood in a sample of 1,142 individuals (94% African American) who grew up in urban poverty. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study that followed participants from age five and included participant, parent, and teacher surveys, and administrative records. Depressive symptoms were self-reported at age 22-24 using a modified version of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1975). Binary logistic regression analyses identified several significant predictors of depressive symptoms in emerging adulthood, including: sex, adverse childhood experiences (ACE) score, socio-emotional adjustment in the classroom, juvenile arrest, and on-time graduation. Significant sex differences were also detected, with the final models fitting the male sample better than the full study or female samples. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

Keywords: depression; early childhood intervention; emerging adulthood; predictors.