Although males and females had similar levels of depressive symptoms at age 12 (mean scores of approximately 4.5), females consistently reported greater symptoms than males during most of adolescence and early adulthood (Fig. 1). Depressive symptoms peaked for females at approximately age 16, with a mean score of 6.8 (95% CI = [6.7, 7.0]). Males peaked slightly later at age 17.5, with a mean score of 5.3 (95% CI = [5.2, 5.5]).
