Poster #62 - Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms and Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder among Mexican American Adolescents

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Developmental Psychopathology

Integrative Statement

Adolescent depression is a common health concern that is associated with adverse developmental outcomes, such as academic difficulties and suicidality (Thapar et al., 2012). While several studies have examined mean-level changes in adolescent depressive symptoms (DS), recent efforts have been made to identify differential developmental patterns (i.e., trajectories) that adolescents follow (see Shore et at., 2017). These studies have primarily included European American adolescents, and none have focused specifically on Mexican Americans (MAs). We address this gap in the literature by identifying the developmental trajectories of DS that MA adolescents follow and examine whether adolescents who follow different trajectories are at differential risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Data were collected annually across 8 years from 674 MA youths as they progressed from early (grade 5) to late (grade 12) adolescence (Wave 1: Mage = 10.40, SD = .61, 50% girls; 71% US-born). Symptoms of major depressive disorder and diagnoses of AUD were obtained from diagnostic interviews (Shaffer et al., 2000).

The data were analyzed using a hybrid latent class trajectory/discrete time survival model (Malone et al., 2010), which is illustrated in Figure 1. Based on information criteria values (e.g., BIC, C-AIC) and interpretability, a four-trajectory model with linear, quadratic, and cubic trajectory terms appeared to best explain the patterns in the data.

As shown in Figure 2, the first trajectory was characterized by generally high levels of DS that decreased to a moderate level around 11th grade. The second trajectory was characterized by moderate initial levels of DS that decreased across time. The third trajectory was characterized by moderate levels of DS that increased with time. The final trajectory was characterized by relatively low levels of DS that decreased and remained low across time. We hereafter refer to the four trajectories as high, moderate-decreasing, moderate-increasing, and low, respectively. In terms of AUD, we found that, relative to adolescents in the low DS trajectory (mean set to 0), adolescents in the high (b = 1.81, SE = .41, p < .001), moderate-decreasing (b = 1.23, SE = .44, p = .005), and moderate-increasing (b = 1.11, SE = .40, p = .006) trajectories were at greater risk for developing an AUD. Adolescents in the high, moderate-decreasing, and moderate-increasing trajectories did not significantly differ in their risk for AUD.

Our results suggest that some MA adolescents maintain relatively low levels of DS while others seem to emerge from their moderately negative affective state with time. In addition, some adolescents have generally high levels of DS and others appear to experience more DS as they progress through high school. Equally important, our results suggest that MAs experiencing elevated levels of DS at any time during adolescence increases the risk for developing an AUD. We discuss the implications of our results and highlight the need for research focusing on factors that predict patterns of DS among MA adolescents.

Authors

• Miriam Martinez, University of Missouri
  Presenting Author

• Brian E. Armenta, University of Missouri
  Non-Presenting Author

• Olivia Emile Atherton, University of California, Davis
  Non-Presenting Author

• Richard W. Robins, University of California, Davis
  Non-Presenting Author