Beyond Risk: Listening to Adolescent Voices on Vulnerability and Resilience to Depression in a Longitudinal Qualitative Study

This two-year qualitative study sought to explore the subjective experiences of Brazilian adolescents at low and high risk of developing depression, focusing on understanding the dynamics of perceived processes mitigating psychosocial risk for developing depression. Using a digital chatbot (the IDEABot), researchers collected intensive longitudinal data from 74 adolescents aged 14-16, stratified into low-risk (LR, n=33) and high-risk (HR, n=41) groups based on a sociodemographic composite risk score. Of these participants, 18 (24.3%) developed depression over the study period (5 [15.15%] LR and 13 [31.7%] HR). Qualitative analysis revealed distinctive patterns among adolescents who did and those who did not develop depression, regardless of initial risk classification. Group differences centered on positive psychological resources, as adolescents who did not develop depression exhibited stronger social connectedness, more adaptive emotion regulation strategies, constructive conflict resolution approaches, and positive self-perception. They spontaneously reported personal strengths, maintained future-oriented thinking, and demonstrated an ability to normalize challenging experiences. This pattern of positive, protective mechanisms was not reported by adolescents who developed depression. Notably, adolescents who later developed depression lacked these protective mechanisms regardless of baseline risk status, suggesting that initial risk classification alone may not fully capture vulnerabilities that emerge over time. The present study emphasizes the relevance of understanding individual paths leading to mental health outcomes and cultivating protective capabilities rather than solely mitigating risks. Taken together, results underscore the importance of strength-based interventions that equip young people with psychological resources to transform potentially adverse experiences into opportunities for growth.