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Anxiety in Early Adolescence: Heterogeneous Developmental Trajectories, Associations with Risk Factors and Depressive Symptoms

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Abstract

This study aimed: (1) to identify heterogeneous trajectories of anxiety symptoms in early adolescence; (2) to analyze the relationships between risk factors and identified trajectories; (3) to study the association between anxiety symptom trajectories and depression symptom course. Anxiety and depressive symptoms of 825 participants (44.40% boys; mean initial age = 13.01, SD = 0.56) was assessed every 6 months over an 18-month period. Trajectory identification relied on latent-variable approach. As a result, 2–4 trajectories were identified for social phobia (SP), generalized anxiety (GA) and panic symptoms, revealing at least a low-symptom course and a trajectory of elevated symptoms (at-risk trajectory). Being girl and sibling cohabitation were related to at-risk trajectories, and a course of low effortful control and heightened negative affectivity. Finally, SP and GA symptoms were related to heightened depressive symptom courses. Relevant implications towards tailored prevention and intervention are highlighted to promote a healthy development across adolescence.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Grants Ref. PSI2012-34780 and PSI2016-78403-P.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Madrid, 4 Arzobispo Morcillo Street, 28029, Madrid, Spain

    Alejandro de la Torre-Luque

  2. Centre for Biomedical Research in Mental Health, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain

    Alejandro de la Torre-Luque

  3. Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of the Balearic Islands, Illes Balears, Spain

    Aina Fiol-Veny, Maria Balle & Xavier Bornas

  4. Research Centre Adolescent Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Stefanie A. Nelemans

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  1. Alejandro de la Torre-Luque
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  2. Aina Fiol-Veny
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  3. Maria Balle
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  4. Stefanie A. Nelemans
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  5. Xavier Bornas
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Correspondence to Alejandro de la Torre-Luque.

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de la Torre-Luque, A., Fiol-Veny, A., Balle, M. et al. Anxiety in Early Adolescence: Heterogeneous Developmental Trajectories, Associations with Risk Factors and Depressive Symptoms. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 51, 527–541 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-019-00936-y

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