Educational and Employment Outcomes among Young Australians with a History of Depressive Symptoms: A Prospective Cohort Study

Katrina Witt, Allison Milner, Tracy Evans-Whipp, John W. Toumbourou, George Patton and Anthony D. LaMontagne
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Katrina Witt: Turning Point, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Richmond 3121, Australia
Allison Milner: Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia
Tracy Evans-Whipp: Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
John W. Toumbourou: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong 3220, Australia
George Patton: Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Australia
Anthony D. LaMontagne: Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate whether depressive symptoms reported during adolescence are associated with subsequent educational and employment outcomes, including whether experiences of depressive symptoms in adolescence are associated with higher exposures to adverse psychosocial job stressors among those who were employed in emerging adulthood. We used data from the Victorian arm of the International Youth Development Study (IYDS). Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to model the association of depressive symptoms reported in 2002 (wave one) and/or 2003 (wave two) and self-reported completion of compulsory secondary schooling, employment status, and exposure to a number of psychosocial job stressors roughly a decade later (i.e., at wave three in 2014). In fully adjusted models, reporting high depressive symptoms at waves one or two (odds ratio (OR) 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55 to 0.92), as well as at both waves (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.75) were associated with a reduced likelihood of completing secondary schooling by wave three. High depressive symptoms reported at multiple waves were also associated with a reduced likelihood of employment (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.66). Amongst those employed at wave three ( n = 2091; 72.5%), adolescent depressive symptoms were associated only with workplace incivility. Psychosocial job stressor exposures should be considered in the design and selection of jobs for young workers with a history of depressive symptoms in order to increase employment participation and sustainability for young people experiencing symptoms of depression.

Keywords: depression; education; employment; psychosocial job quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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