Depressive symptoms and academic achievement in UK adolescents: a cross-lagged analysis with genetic covariates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The relationship between adolescent depressive symptoms and academic achievement remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to help clarify the nature and directionality of this association.

Methods

We used a sample of 13,599 British adolescents (main sample of N=3,809 participants). We fitted cross-lagged panel models using four repeated measures of self-reported depressive symptoms and four measures of academic achievement based on British national records between 11-18 years, separately for male and female adolescents and considering polygenic risk scores (PRS) for educational attainment and depression, alongside other child and parental covariates.

Results

We found evidence of an overall negative association that was stronger in boys (R=-0.21,

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Lopez JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8105173 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature