Time trends in adolescent depressive symptoms from 2010 to 2019 in Norway: real increase or artifacts of measurements?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Whether the recent rise in adolescent self-reported depressive symptoms is influenced by changing reporting behavior is much debated. Most studies use observed sum scores to document trends but fail to assess whether their measures are invariant across time, a prerequisite for meaningful inferences about change. We examined whether measurement noninvariance, indicative of changing perceptions and reporting of symptoms, may influence the assessment of time trends in adolescent depressive symptoms.

Methods

Data stem from the nationwide repeated cross-sectional Ungdata-surveys (2010-2019) of 560 712 responses from adolescents aged 13 to 19 years. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Kandel and Davies' six-item Depressive Mood Inventory. Using structural equatio

SUBMITTER: Nilsen SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11578914 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature