Trends in psychopathology across the adolescent years: what changes when children become adolescents, and when adolescents become adults?

BACKGROUND

Little is known about changes in the prevalence of psychiatric disorders between childhood and adolescence, and adolescence and adulthood.

METHODS

We reviewed papers reporting prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders separately for childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Both longitudinal and cross-sectional papers published in the past 15 years were included.

RESULTS

About one adolescent in five has a psychiatric disorder. From childhood to adolescence there is an increase in rates of depression, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and substance use disorders (SUD), and a decrease in separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). From adolescence to early adulthood there is a further increase in panic disorder, agoraphobia, and SUD, and a further decrease in SAD and ADHD. Other phobias and disruptive behavior disorders also fall.

CONCLUSIONS

Further study of changes in rates of disorder across developmental stages could inform etiological research and guide interventions.