Goth Teenagers More Vulnerable To Depression and Self-Harm Than Their Peers

Teens at the age of 15 who identified very strongly with the goth subculture were three times more likely than their non-goth peers to be clinically depressed by age 18.

Teenagers who are part of a subculture known as “goths”, who wear black clothes and makeup, have three times higher risk of depression than non-goth peers, says a new research.

But they could not be sure whether it was a case of depression leading kids to join this particular subgroup, or being caused by it.

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"Our study does not show that being a goth causes depression or self-harm, but rather that some young goths are more vulnerable to developing these conditions," said the study's lead author Lucy Bowes from the University of Oxford.

In a years-long study of over 2,300 British teens, Bowes and a team found that 15-year-olds who identified very strongly with the goth subculture were three times more likely than their non-goth peers to be clinically depressed by age 18.

They were also five times more likely to physically harm themselves, the researchers reported in The Lancet Psychiatry.

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At 15, the study participants were asked to what extent they identified with a variety of subcultures, including "sporty", "popular", "skaters", "loners", and "bimbos". Three years later, they were re-assessed for symptoms of depression and self-harm.

"Skaters" and "loners" also presented an increased risk, but not to the extent of goths, the researchers found.

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"Young people who self-identified as 'sporty' were least likely to have depression or self-harm at age 18," said a statement.

It was possible, the team said, that "peer contagion" within the goth subculture was responsible for the link, but it could also be that the group attracted already depressed social outcasts.

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"Teenagers who are susceptible to depression or with a tendency to self-harm may be attracted to the goth subculture, which is known to embrace marginalized individuals," said co-author Rebecca Pearson from the University of Bristol in Britain.

Teenage goths should be closely monitored, the authors said, so that those at risk can be offered support.

Source-AFP