Relationship between binge drinking and depressive symptoms declined 16% among adolescents

Binge drinking among U.S. adolescents precipitously declined from 1991 to 2018, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Depressive symptoms among U.S. adolescents have sharply increased since 2012. And for the first time in the past 40 years, binge drinking and depressive symptoms among adolescents are no longer associated. The findings are published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Comorbidity of depression and drinking is among the bedrocks of psychiatric epidemiology findings - until now. Our results suggest that we need to be re-thinking the connections between mental health and alcohol among young people.

Katherine M. Keyes, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health

Data were drawn from the U.S. nationally representative Monitoring the Future surveys from 1991-2018 for 58,444 school-attending 12th-grade adolescents. Binge drinking was measured as having more than five drinks during the past two weeks. Depressive symptoms were measured based on agreeing or disagreeing with statements that life is meaningless or hopeless.

The relationship between depressive symptoms and binge drinking decreased by 16 percent from 1991 to 2018 and 24 percent among girls and 25 percent among boys. There had been no significant relation between depressive symptoms and binge drinking among boys since 2009; among girls, the relationship has been positive throughout most of the study period.

The results suggest that, on average, the relationship between binge drinking and depressive symptoms is dynamically changing and decoupling, according to the researchers.

"Although comorbidity between alcohol consumption and mental health is complex, the landscape of the adolescent experience is changing in ways that may affect both consumption and mental health," observed Keyes. "The declining correlation between binge drinking and mental health is occurring during a time of unprecedented decreases in alcohol consumption among U.S. adolescents and increases in mental health problems. Therefore, the relationship between substance use and mental health may need to be reconceptualized for ongoing and future research."

Source:
Journal reference:

Keyes, K. M. et al. (2019) Diverging Trends in the Relationship Between Binge Drinking and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents in the U.S. From 1991 Through 2018. Journal of Adolescent Health. doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.026

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Psilocybin therapy reduces depression in clinicians after pandemic frontline work