Mapping developmental transitions in mental health from mid- to late-adolescence: Concurrent and longitudinal links to cognition

Background: Developmental changes in mental health are mostly mapped between childhood and adolescence or childhood and adulthood. This study maps developmental transitions in mental health profiles from mid- to late-adolescence, exploring how these transitions relate to cognitive function in mid-adolescence. 

Method: Participants from the IMAGEN cohort (N = 1304) were followed from mid- (14 years) to late (22 years) adolescence. K-means clustering was applied to data from those with elevated mental health problems to identify common profiles of mental health symptoms at each timepoint (n = 784 at 14 years, n = 655 at 22 years). Those with no mental health symptoms formed a comparison group (n = 520 at 14 years, n = 649 at 22 years). Transitions between the groups were mapped across time and related to cognitive function at age 14. 

Results: Three distinct mental health profiles were identified: presentations of externalising, internalising, or social problems. These were similar in mid- and late adolescence. Externalising problems were more common in mid-adolescence. Persistent externalising and social problems were related to cognitive function in mid-adolescence, but problems that emerged or resolved in late adolescence were not. 

Conclusions: These data highlight the importance of understanding the developmental context in which mental health symptoms occur, and the cognitive factors linked to their persistence.