Persistence of Pain: Mental Health Risks from Teens to Twenties

Sivertsen, B., O’Connor, R. C., Nilsen, S. A., Heradstveit, O., Askeland, K. G., Bøe, T., & Hysing, M. (2024). Mental health problems and suicidal behavior from adolescence to young adulthood in college: linking two population-based studies. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33, 421–429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-023-02167-y

Introduction

Sivertsen and colleagues (2024) explored whether mental health problems and suicidality that begin in adolescence persist into young adulthood. While prior work shows that mental illness often recurs between childhood and adolescence, less is known about continuity across the transition to college, an especially vulnerable developmental period marked by stress, independence, and identity change.

Methods

This longitudinal study linked data from two Norwegian population-based studies. A sample of 1,257 individuals was assessed in late adolescence (ages 16-19) and again 6 years later in young adulthood (ages 22-25). Self-reported adolescent mental health issues (e.g., internalizing/externalizing problems, self-harm) were analyzed as predictors for young adult outcomes (e.g., psychological distress, mental disorders, suicidality) using regression analysis.

Results

Adolescents with high internalizing symptoms were nearly three times more likely to report anxiety or depression six years later, while those with externalizing problems had almost twice the risk. Self-harm during adolescence predicted a twofold increase in suicidal thoughts in college. Overall, mental health difficulties showed strong continuity within the same domains and some overlap across domains, indicating enduring vulnerability from adolescence into young adulthood.

Discussion

Findings indicate that adolescent mental health challenges rarely resolve without intervention. Even after accounting for demographic differences, symptoms showed striking persistence. This reinforces the need for sustained prevention and early detection strategies bridging the school-to-college transition.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Mentors in secondary and postsecondary settings can play a crucial preventive role. Continuous, trusting mentor–student relationships across educational transitions may buffer risks, enhance coping, and promote early help-seeking among vulnerable youth.

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