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Adolescent depression may increase risk for poor mental health outcomes in adulthood. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the association between adolescent depression and adult anxiety and depressive disorders as well as suicidality.

EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PSYCinfo databases were searched and longitudinal cohort studies in which depression was measured in adolescence (age 10–19) and outcomes of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, or suicidality were measured in adulthood (age 21+), were selected. Meta‐analysis using inverse variance and random effects modeling, along with sensitivity analyses, were used to synthesize article estimates.

Twenty articles were identified, representing 15 unique cohorts. Seventeen of 18 articles showed adolescent depression increased risk for adult depression; eleven pooled cohorts …