Date of Award

Summer 8-22-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Psychology

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology

First Advisor

Erika M. Manczak

Second Advisor

Kamilah B. Legette

Third Advisor

Angela J. Narayan

Fourth Advisor

Julia O. Dmitrieva

Fifth Advisor

Heather N. Taussig

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Adolescence, Depression, Developmental psychology, Inflammation, Race, Social support

Abstract

Depression is the leading cause of disability among adults in the U.S and is associated with negative short- and long-term social, emotional, economic, and physical health outcomes. Notably, rates of depression among children and adolescents are rapidly increasing across the globe. Depression in youth disrupts crucial developmental processes that can adversely affect concurrent and longitudinal socioeconomic and health outcomes. Although extant research delineates the consequences of adolescent depression for adult functioning (e.g., lower educational attainment, fewer economic resources, worse physical health), studies that examine these associations within racially minoritized populations are scarce. This gap in the literature is especially striking given that research demonstrates that racially minoritized youth and adults experience depressive symptoms at a greater intensity and are less likely to receive treatment for depression than White individuals. Given the pervasive biopsychosocial and socioeconomic consequences of adolescent depression for White individuals and systemic racism and discrimination that contributes adverse outcomes racially minoritized communities, it is critical for researchers to elucidate how adolescent depression may impact adult educational, financial, and physical health of racially minoritized individuals, as well as to uncover mechanisms and protective factors that can inform targeted interventions and support strategies aimed at improving long-term health outcomes in all communities.

This dissertation addresses these gaps in the literature through three studies. First, we examine adolescent depression as a predictor of concrete indicators of adult functioning (i.e., income, education, and physical health condition diagnoses) within major racial groups in the U.S. Second, we explore whether social support during adolescence, a factor reliably associated with both depressive symptoms and physical health, moderates or “buffers” the effects adolescent depression on physical health conditions (total and adult-onset) during adulthood within racial groups. Lastly, we explore whether inflammation, a biological process linked to depressive symptoms and physical health conditions, partially explains the link between adolescent depression and adult physical health conditions (total and adult-onset) within racial groups. Taken together, this dissertation examines the effects, mechanisms, and conditions through which adolescent depression predicts adult functioning within U.S. major racial groups.

Copyright Date

8-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Summer N. A. Millwood

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

223 pgs

File Size

1.1 MB

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