Goth teens more at risk of depression
Sep 6, 2015 17:41:35 #
They also report more self-harm than other social groups, a new study finds.
BY MELISSA HEALY
Goths teenagers who dress exclusively in black, have extensive piercings, and favor adornments that are ripped, spiky, raunchy or just plain disturbing may be communicating that they are in psychological pain.
According to new research, by the time these teens are 18, they are three times more likely to be clinically depressed and five times more likely to cut, burn or intentionally inflict injury on themselves than young people who do not identify with goth subculture.
The research, published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, found that of all the teen subcultures identified, goths fared most poorly, falling into depression by age 18 at roughly twice the rate as kids who identified as skaters or loners. Teens who called themselves sporty were least likely to be depressed at age 18 (4%) or to engage in self-harming behavior (6%).
The research suggests that adolescents who feel alienated, bullied, marginalized or unhappy may be drawn to identify themselves with a social group that defines itself by its defiance of social norms. A birds of a feather dynamic may draw together teens who show strong risk factors for depression from an early age, according to the study.
In a cohort of 5,357 British adolescents followed from birth to at least 16, subjects were asked before their 16th birthday what social group or groups they most identified with. Respondents could align themselves with a variety of youth subcultures, including goth, sporty, popular, skater, loner and bimbo.
About 12% of these teens said they strongly identified with goth subculture, and the remaining 88% reported low identification.
Factors such as parental social class, maternal education, and whether a child was shy, friendly or inclined to misbehave did not seem to differentiate teens who identified as goth from those who did not.
But goth teens were much more likely to have a mother with a history of severe depression, to be bullied and to have ranked in the top quartile of 6-year-olds in emotionality.
By 15, more than a quarter of those who reported they identified very much as goth were already engaging in self-harming behaviors, compared with 10% of those who did not identify as goth. The goth teens showed more symptoms of depression, on average, than did those who identified more with other social groups.
By the time the studys core group of 2,351 participants turned 18, 18% of those who had identified very much with goth subculture met the diagnostic criteria for depression, and 37% reported they engaged in self-injury.
Among those who reported at15 that they did not identify with goth subculture, 6% were depressed and 10% had intentionally inflicted injury on themselves.
The effect scaled depending on how much a teen identified with goth subculture. So even feeling a little goth was associated with increased risk of depression and self-harm.
Working with youths in the goth community to identify those at risk of depression and self-harm and provide support might be effective, the authors wrote. Public campaigns to reduce stigma and aggression targeted to individuals from diverse subcultures might also be important. melissa.healy  @latimes.com   Twitter: @LATMelissaHealy
BY MELISSA HEALY
Goths teenagers who dress exclusively in black, have extensive piercings, and favor adornments that are ripped, spiky, raunchy or just plain disturbing may be communicating that they are in psychological pain.
According to new research, by the time these teens are 18, they are three times more likely to be clinically depressed and five times more likely to cut, burn or intentionally inflict injury on themselves than young people who do not identify with goth subculture.
The research, published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, found that of all the teen subcultures identified, goths fared most poorly, falling into depression by age 18 at roughly twice the rate as kids who identified as skaters or loners. Teens who called themselves sporty were least likely to be depressed at age 18 (4%) or to engage in self-harming behavior (6%).
The research suggests that adolescents who feel alienated, bullied, marginalized or unhappy may be drawn to identify themselves with a social group that defines itself by its defiance of social norms. A birds of a feather dynamic may draw together teens who show strong risk factors for depression from an early age, according to the study.
In a cohort of 5,357 British adolescents followed from birth to at least 16, subjects were asked before their 16th birthday what social group or groups they most identified with. Respondents could align themselves with a variety of youth subcultures, including goth, sporty, popular, skater, loner and bimbo.
About 12% of these teens said they strongly identified with goth subculture, and the remaining 88% reported low identification.
Factors such as parental social class, maternal education, and whether a child was shy, friendly or inclined to misbehave did not seem to differentiate teens who identified as goth from those who did not.
But goth teens were much more likely to have a mother with a history of severe depression, to be bullied and to have ranked in the top quartile of 6-year-olds in emotionality.
By 15, more than a quarter of those who reported they identified very much as goth were already engaging in self-harming behaviors, compared with 10% of those who did not identify as goth. The goth teens showed more symptoms of depression, on average, than did those who identified more with other social groups.
By the time the studys core group of 2,351 participants turned 18, 18% of those who had identified very much with goth subculture met the diagnostic criteria for depression, and 37% reported they engaged in self-injury.
Among those who reported at15 that they did not identify with goth subculture, 6% were depressed and 10% had intentionally inflicted injury on themselves.
The effect scaled depending on how much a teen identified with goth subculture. So even feeling a little goth was associated with increased risk of depression and self-harm.
Working with youths in the goth community to identify those at risk of depression and self-harm and provide support might be effective, the authors wrote. Public campaigns to reduce stigma and aggression targeted to individuals from diverse subcultures might also be important. melissa.healy  @latimes.com   Twitter: @LATMelissaHealy
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