Teenage depression may have effect on future love life
EDMONTON (CUP) - Your
moody teenage years could be to
blame for having to sleep on the
couch last night – new research
from the University of Alberta
has found negative emotions from
young adulthood can affect relationships
25 years down the road.
The study followed almost 350 young Edmontonians as they matured over a span of 25 years and found that anger and depression experienced during the transition to adulthood can manifest into relationships in middle age.
Study author Matthew Johnson said the lingering effects of the tumultuous teenage years surprised researchers.
“What we found was at age 18, those who were more depressed and expressed more anger actually had worse intimate relationships 25 years later in mid-life,” he said.
“There are so many circumstances that happen and life experiences that a person goes through. I really didn’t expect to find a direct link between those aged 18 with depression and anger and the midlife relationship functioning.”
The study analyzed the stress levels of the 163 men and 178 women involved in the study during their transition to adulthood between ages 18 to 25, again at the age of 32, and finally their perceived quality of their intimate relationships at age 43.
Johnson said researchers didn’t study diagnosed clinical depression or anger, instead focusing on only the symptoms of these issues – feeling blue, sad or not being able to control a hot temper.
Because these mental health issues persisted in the group studied despite their transition into middle age, Johnson said the research points to the need for continued mental health care and for couples to communicate about these emotions.
“In a relationship, when problems arise, it’s very easy to attribute the source of those problems to your partner and some sort of deficit you see in your partner and their behaviour, or how they’re thinking about whatever the issue is,” Johnson said.
An Assistant Professor of Human Ecology at the U of A, Johnson’s area of interest is in couple relationships. He co-authored the study with Faculty of Arts researchers Nancy Galambos and Harvey Krahn.
The researchers used a vulnerability- stress adaptation (VSA) model, which helped them understand changes in satisfaction levels in intimate relationships.
Their findings suggest a healthy mental state at a young age increases the chances of maintaining close relationships in middle age.
This research can be used as evidence in supporting early intervention of mental health problems, Johnson said, and provides a foundation for further research into the lingering effects of emotions experienced during adolescence.
“This speaks to the need for addressing those problems early, because they don’t just necessarily go away and even those early experiences will still affect you in the future.”
Because the lingering effects of teenage depression and anger persisted through major life events such as marriage, career changes and birth of children, the recipe for happiness in a relationship could include acknowledging and discussing your partner’s past.
“Some of their difficulties may be related to their individual health from earlier in their life … traits that you have carried for most of your life and they’re causing you difficulty,” Johnson said.
“Being brave enough and honest enough to seek out the individual help that will then pay off in terms of your relationship.”
The study followed almost 350 young Edmontonians as they matured over a span of 25 years and found that anger and depression experienced during the transition to adulthood can manifest into relationships in middle age.
Study author Matthew Johnson said the lingering effects of the tumultuous teenage years surprised researchers.
“What we found was at age 18, those who were more depressed and expressed more anger actually had worse intimate relationships 25 years later in mid-life,” he said.
“There are so many circumstances that happen and life experiences that a person goes through. I really didn’t expect to find a direct link between those aged 18 with depression and anger and the midlife relationship functioning.”
The study analyzed the stress levels of the 163 men and 178 women involved in the study during their transition to adulthood between ages 18 to 25, again at the age of 32, and finally their perceived quality of their intimate relationships at age 43.
Johnson said researchers didn’t study diagnosed clinical depression or anger, instead focusing on only the symptoms of these issues – feeling blue, sad or not being able to control a hot temper.
Because these mental health issues persisted in the group studied despite their transition into middle age, Johnson said the research points to the need for continued mental health care and for couples to communicate about these emotions.
“In a relationship, when problems arise, it’s very easy to attribute the source of those problems to your partner and some sort of deficit you see in your partner and their behaviour, or how they’re thinking about whatever the issue is,” Johnson said.
An Assistant Professor of Human Ecology at the U of A, Johnson’s area of interest is in couple relationships. He co-authored the study with Faculty of Arts researchers Nancy Galambos and Harvey Krahn.
The researchers used a vulnerability- stress adaptation (VSA) model, which helped them understand changes in satisfaction levels in intimate relationships.
Their findings suggest a healthy mental state at a young age increases the chances of maintaining close relationships in middle age.
This research can be used as evidence in supporting early intervention of mental health problems, Johnson said, and provides a foundation for further research into the lingering effects of emotions experienced during adolescence.
“This speaks to the need for addressing those problems early, because they don’t just necessarily go away and even those early experiences will still affect you in the future.”
Because the lingering effects of teenage depression and anger persisted through major life events such as marriage, career changes and birth of children, the recipe for happiness in a relationship could include acknowledging and discussing your partner’s past.
“Some of their difficulties may be related to their individual health from earlier in their life … traits that you have carried for most of your life and they’re causing you difficulty,” Johnson said.
“Being brave enough and honest enough to seek out the individual help that will then pay off in terms of your relationship.”
