A Study on the Types of Depression Trajectories among Young Adults and Their Related Factors: Focusing on Gender Differences

The purpose of this study is to classify the trajectories of depression among young adults and to conduct a comparative analysis of the factors associated with these latent classes, with a focus on gender differences. For this purpose, this study utilized raw data from the waves 14 to 18 of the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS), analyzing a sample of 1,066 individuals aged 19 to 39. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and multinomial logistic regression were employed to identify trajectory patterns and their predictors. The main findings of the study are as follows. First the depression trajectories of both male and female young adults were classified into three groups: increasing depression group, persistent depression group, and high-risk but decreasing depression group. Overall, female participants exhibited higher levels of depression than their male counterparts. Second, among male young adults, age, employment type, and socioeconomic deprivation significantly influenced depression trajectories. In contrast, among female young adults, factors such as age, housing poverty, marital status, family relationship satisfaction, subjective health status, and receipt of medical benefits were found to be significant predictors. Based on these findings, this study discussed practical and policy implications for gender-sensitive approaches to reducing depression among young adults.