Which girls, which boys? The intersectional risk for depression by race and ethnicity, and gender in the U.S.

We sought to conduct the first systematic review of studies applying an intersectional lens to assessing risk and protective factors for depression in minority adolescents in the United States. Twenty-five studies were identified which investigated the role of racial and ethnic identity and gender for minority groups and how marginalization may be associated with differential outcomes in depression symptomology. The results showed substantial variability in whether studies intentionally operationalized intersectionality through theoretical frameworks, study design, sampling, and analyses. Studies were rated on a scale of 1 through 5; those with scores of 3 or higher were included in the review. A rating of 5 indicated studies had explicitly used an intersectional theoretical framework, integrating the process of racial/ethnic identity development and gender socialization during adolescence. Three studies met the criteria for 5, one study was rated 4, and 21 studies were rated 3. Attention to experiences with discrimination was common throughout. Overall, the collective findings point to the importance of using an intersectional lens for understanding differential mechanisms for how and why specific adolescent minority youth are at greater risk for reporting depression symptoms, identifying cultural and developmental protective factors, and informing how interventions can effectively target specific mechanisms for prevention and treatment.