Measuring associations between symptoms of depression and suicide in adolescence and unhealthy romantic relationships in young adulthood

Child Trends analyzed data from 6,763 heterosexual adults who completed all three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health).  They found that young, heterosexual adults who reported depressive or suicidal symptoms during adolescence are significantly more likely to report violence in their adult romantic relationships and sexual infidelity—their own or a partner’s—in their relationships. The study points out long-term importance of helping adolescents dealing with depression or suicidal symptoms, as well as identifying and helping adolescents at risk for these problems and the need for research exploring specific factors (such as poor problem-solving or communications skills, or past victimization) that impact relationship outcomes for this population, and for translating the results of that research for practitioners.