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genetics and teen depression:
What's the Link?

Author:
Jemma Strain
Jemma Strain
B.S. Psychology
Editor:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
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Is there a teen depression gene? Every part of our body is controlled or influenced by genes – they’re the blueprint for how we develop over time and are influenced by our environment. However, it’s unlikely that teen depression comes down to one single gene. Yet, truthfully, a teenager may be at a higher risk of developing depression if a parent or sibling has it.1

We don’t yet fully understand which genes affect depression’s heritability. But as researchers build more of an awareness of how genetics influence how we engage with our environment, more progress in treating depression is continuously made. This means that we can have some control over how our genes affect how we think and feel – offering more avenues for treatment.

If you’re concerned about genetics’ influence on a teen’s depression, understand that this is not the only factor that can lead to depression. Depression could be a perfect storm of genetics, environment, experiences, and temperament. But it can help to understand how genetics play a role in how we manage and recover from stress and challenges – and mental health advice and support can help. 

This page covers the foundations of the link between genetics and depression, including:

  • Whether depression is inherited in teens
  • How genetics can affect depression in teenagers
  • How a teen’s environment can impact genetics and depression
  • What to do if you’re concerned about family history and teen depression risk
  • When to seek help for teen depression 
Genetics and depression in teen boy

Genetics and Teenage Depression

Is depression inherited in teens? The answer to this question is both “Yes,” and “No.” Having depression is not like inheriting a family heirloom such as a piece of jewelry. Instead, we inherit a combination of genes from both our mothers and fathers, creating a unique set of genetics which could potentially increase the risk of depression. Let’s take a closer look at this relationship.1

Evidence for Hereditary Factors in Adolescent Depression:

Twin Studies’ Evidence for the Role of Genetics in Teenage Depression

One of the easiest ways to understand the hereditary factors in adolescent depression is to look at studies of families, such as twin studies. For instance, studies have shown that if one identical twin has bipolar disorder, the other is between 60-80% likely to develop it too. Yet, if one fraternal twin has bipolar disorder, the other is only 20% likely to develop it. In other words, the more similar the genes, the more likely depression will be inherited. In general, it’s thought that the heritability of depression (such as major depression) is around two to three times higher than the general population if a parent or sibling also has it.1,2

Adoption Studies’ Evidence for Hereditary Factors in Adolescent Depression

It’s not only family members who grow up around each other that share a risk of depression. Adoption studies also demonstrate that a teen may be more likely to develop depression if a biological parent – especially the mother – has it, even if they grow up in a different environment.2,3

Evidence for Each Parent’s Genetic Impact on Depression

There are also interesting findings in regard to the role of the parent and whether a teen will inherit depression. While a father’s depression may impact a teen’s school performance, a mother’s depression may influence whether they develop a mental health condition such as depression. This finding may come down to the combined role of the mother’s genetic influence and the teen’s environment, as mothers are frequently associated with a nurturing role.4
While the evidence for hereditary factors in adolescent depression is strong, studies also show that the timing of when a parent develops depression may play a role. For instance, if a parent has depression before the child is born, then the teen’s risks of developing it may be lower. However, if the child witnesses a parent’s depression, their risk may be increased.4

Therefore, genetics are clearly not the only factor involved in teenage depression. We’ll discuss the role a teen’s environment can play in whether depression is expressed later in this article. First, let’s take a closer look at how genetics can affect depression in teenagers. 

How Genetics Affect Depression in Teenagers

The role of how genetics affect depression in teenagers is not clear-cut. Some teens with a genetic risk of developing depression may never get depressed, while others without a genetic risk might. This may come down to the specific genes responsible for depression (which are still not fully understood) or the role of a teen’s environment. 

However, genes could possibly affect whether a teen develops depression in the following ways:  

Genetics Affect How We Respond to Stress

Stress is unavoidable in life, whether it’s exam pressure, relationship difficulties, or illness. Yet, some people may develop a mood disorder in response to long-term stress, while others don’t – why is this? How we respond to stress could be determined by our genes.

Studies have shown that our responses to stress are determined by genes that play a role in the sympathetic nervous system and brain. This reaction could affect how a teen acts in the face of and recovers from difficult life events. Therefore, a combination of genetics, biology, and stress could determine whether a teenager develops depression.2,5

Genetics May Influence Our Personality Traits

Studies show that depression is linked to personality traits such as perfectionism and neuroticism (the tendency to be more sensitive to negative emotions). Plus, what many might not realize, is that personality traits are genetically influenced in around 40-60% of cases. This means that a teen’s temperament in the face of conflict, stress, and disappointment could be influenced by their genetics – and could put them at risk of depression.2,6,7

Genetics Can Affect How Resilient We Are

According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is the ability to “successfully adapt to difficult or challenging life events.” In other words, if we are resilient, we can bounce back from difficult situations. However, teenagers with depression often find recovering from adversity to be a challenge. It’s likely that genetics plays a role in how resilient teenagers are; the ability to be resilient is tied to temperament and personality traits, which studies have demonstrated to be inherited.8 

In addition to the factors mentioned, differences to the structure of a teenager’s brain may also put them at risk of depression. These structural differences to a teen’s brain may be genetic, or they can be caused by early experiences such as trauma. Either way, they can leave a teen prone to problems managing emotions, stress, concentration, and problem-solving – all of which can contribute to depression.9-11
Girl wondering about genetics and depression

How Environment Impacts Genetics and Teenage Depression

Genetics are not the only factor that determines whether a teen develops depression.

While genetics do play a role in teen depression, our environment also has a part in whether depression is expressed. There’s an area of science called “epigenetics” which looks at how our behaviors and environment influence how our genes work. In other words, it’s not the study of nature vs. nurture, but, instead, how nature and nurture interact. To put it simply, our environment can change the structure of our genes.12

Therefore, a teenager with a genetic risk of depression may never develop it if their environment doesn’t facilitate it. This doesn’t mean that they must avoid all stress or challenging life events as they’re at risk of developing depression. Instead, they can learn healthy ways of responding to stress which prevents it from having a long-term impact on their well-being.13

Alternatively, a teen who doesn’t have a genetic risk of developing depression could still become depressed. This is because events such as trauma can trigger changes in the brain which can influence how we respond to triggers or stress. In fact, a teen who has experienced trauma may be up to three times more likely to develop depression than those who have not. This is an example of how our environment can change our genes.14

What to Do if You’re Concerned About Family History and Teen Depression Risk

If you or a family member have experienced depression and are concerned that you’ve passed on this risk to a teen, it’s important not to blame yourself. There are many factors involved in whether a teen develops depression. Plus, as we discussed, epigenetics show our environment can change the structure of teens’ genes – which means they can also be changed for the positive. 

Professional mental health treatment is the best step anyone can take for better well-being. A therapist can talk to you about treatment options for depression for your needs or those of someone you care about. Some of the most effective therapy options for depression include the following.

Therapy Options for Teen Depression

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is effective for teens who may be starting to show signs of depression as it helps them to pinpoint and understand negative thoughts. It can also teach them how to challenge these thoughts and build healthy ways of coping with emotions and stress – helping to develop life skills for managing and preventing depression. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

As discussed, previous experiences can affect the structure of a teen’s brain and how they cope with trauma. EMDR can help a teen process traumatic memories in a safe, supportive environment, changing the way trauma is stored in the brain. This way, they can start to build positive self-beliefs and ways of coping with life’s challenges.

Interpersonal Therapy

Depression in families can influence how members problem-solve and communicate with each other. Interpersonal therapy helps teens understand how these issues can contribute to their emotions and how to figure out healthy ways to cope.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

TMS can be effective in treating treatment-resistant depression. It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to activate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain – improving outlook and mood. 

Each of these therapies can be used to treat different types of teen depression in both residential mental health treatment programs and outpatient programs, depending on a teen’s needs. 

If a teen’s symptoms of depression are moderate to severe, a doctor may talk to you about the option of medication. While antidepressants often have an important place in the management of depression, therapy should be considered the first line of treatment. Also, medications tend to work best in combination with therapy. 

Boy getting treatment for genetic impact on depression

When to Seek Help for Genetics and Teen Depression

If you’re worried about the symptoms of depression in a teen, it’s important to seek help as soon as possible. Depression can have serious short and long term effects on a teen’s life, including on their emotional and physical health, relationships, academic performance, and outlook for the future. This doesn’t have to be the case. Professional mental health treatment can stop the effects of depression in their tracks, allowing a teen to regain control of their emotions and life. 

Seeking support for depression can feel daunting, but Mission Prep can help. Our team of trained professionals is available 24/7 to answer any questions, no matter how small. We also offer comprehensive and personalized depression treatment for teenagers, in various locations, helping them get to the root of the problem. Depression can be cunning, but we can help a teen overcome it and feel hopeful about the future again. Contact us today for information and support. 

References

  1. Stanford Medicine. (n.d.). Major depression and genetics. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from https://med.stanford.edu/depressiongenetics/mddandgenes.html
  2. Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). How genes and life events affect mood and depression. Harvard Medical School. Retrieved [26th Feb], from https://www.health.harvard.edu/depression/how-genes-and-life-events-affect-mood-and-depression
  3. Tully, E. C., Iacono, W. G., & McGue, M. (2008). An Adoption Study of Parental Depression as an Environmental Liability for Adolescent Depression and Childhood Disruptive Disorders. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(9), 1148. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.07091438
  4. National Institute for Health and Care Research. (2022, September 28). Parents’ depression can impact their children’s mental health and school performance. NIHR Evidence. https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/parents-depression-impact-their-childrens-mental-health-school-performance/
  5. Ising, M., & Holsboer, F. (2006). Genetics of stress response and stress-related disorders. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 8(4), 433. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2006.8.4/mising
  6. Klein, D. N., Kotov, R., & Bufferd, S. J. (2011). Personality and Depression: Explanatory Models and Review of the Evidence. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7, 269. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032210-104540
  7. Weinschenk, A., Rasmussen, S. H. R., Christensen, K., Dawes, C., & Klemmensen, R. (2022). The five factor model of personality and heritability: Evidence from Denmark. Personality and Individual Differences, 192, 111605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111605
  8. Maul, S., Giegling, I., Fabbri, C., Corponi, F., Serretti, A., & Rujescu, D. (2020). Genetics of resilience: Implications from genome-wide association studies and candidate genes of the stress response system in posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, 183(2), 77-94. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.32763
  9. Dillon, D. G., & Pizzagalli, D. A. (2018). Mechanisms of Memory Disruption in Depression. Trends in Neurosciences, 41(3), 137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2017.12.006
  10. Liu, W., Ge, T., Leng, Y., Pan, Z., Fan, J., Yang, W., & Cui, R. (2017). The Role of Neural Plasticity in Depression: From Hippocampus to Prefrontal Cortex. Neural Plasticity, 2017(1), 6871089. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6871089
  11. Hamilton, J. P., Siemer, M., & Gotlib, I. H. (2008). Amygdala volume in Major Depressive Disorder: A meta-analysis of magnetic resonance imaging studies. Molecular Psychiatry, 13(11), 993. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2008.57
  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, January 31). Epigenetics, health, and disease. https://www.cdc.gov/genomics-and-health/epigenetics/index.html
  13. Uher, R., & McGuffin, P. (2008). The implications of gene–environment interactions in depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 13(12), 1070–1078. https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2008.94
  14. Angulo, F., Goger, P., Brent, D. A., Rozenman, M., Gonzalez, A., Schwartz, K. T., Porta, G., Lynch, F. L., Dickerson, J. F., & Weersing, V. R. (2024). Impact of trauma exposure and depression comorbidity on response to transdiagnostic behavioral therapy for pediatric anxiety and depression. Npj Mental Health Research, 3(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-023-00049-4

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