Age at Onset of Mental Disorders Worldwide: Large-Scale Meta-Analysis of 192 Epidemiological Studies

Molecular Psychiatry (2021)
Written By Sarah MacLean

By: Marco Solmi, Joaquim Radua, Miriam Olivola, Enrico Croce, Livia Soardo, Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo, Jae Il Shin, James B. Kirkbride, Peter Jones, Jae Han Kim, Jong Yeob Kim, Andrè F. Carvalho, Mary V. Seeman, Christoph U. Correll, and Paolo Fusar-Poli

Promoting good mental health before someone develops a mental health disorder has been shown to improve their outcomes. However, the age ranges for when mental health disorders first start has not been well documented in the literature. To address this, we conducted a global systematic review of 192 studies to get a picture of when these issues typically begin.

We found that, overall, mental health problems often start when people are young, with many problems showing up in their teenage years. We also found that while some mental disorders like phobias and separation anxiety tend to start earlier in life, others like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, and psychosis may begin later in life.

This study helps us to understand when people are may be most at-risk for developing mental health issues. It can also help policymakers and healthcare professionals plan better to provide support and treatment to people when they need it most.

Sarah MacLean
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