Anxiety and Depression Symptoms among Youth Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Network Analysis

The comorbid network characteristics of anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese college freshmen

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the interplay between anxiety and depressive symptoms in Chinese college freshmen using the causal system perspective (CSP), which differs from the traditional common cause perspective (CCP) by providing an alternative explanation by attributing comorbidity to direct interactions among symptoms.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 2,082 Chinese college freshmen (39.51% male, Mage = 18.61) from a normal university completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Network analysis was conducted and evaluated as to centrality, stability, node predictability, and bridging features. Moreover, the moderated network model (MNM) was utilized to detect the moderation effects of gender in the comorbidity network.

RESULTS

The network of anxiety and depressive symptoms exhibited stability, characterized by the core symptoms of "restlessness", "lack of energy", and "excessive worry about control", as well as the bridging symptoms of "fearfulness", "sad mood", and "irritability". Notably, the nodes representing "uncontrollable worry" and "difficulty in relaxation" demonstrated the highest predictive power. Gender did not exert any moderating effects on the anxiety and depressive symptom network.

CONCLUSION

These results reinforce that certain anxiety or depressive symptoms are more central than others, and thus play a more vital role in the comorbid network. These findings highlight underlying potential targeting symptoms to consider in future interventions.

Network analysis of depression and anxiety symptoms and their associations with life satisfaction among Chinese hypertensive older adults: a cross-sectional study

Background

Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases among the older adult population in China and older adults with hypertension are more susceptible to mental health problems. This study aimed to explore the network structure of depression and anxiety, and their association with life satisfaction (LS) in older adults with hypertension.

Methods

A total of 4,993 hypertensive individuals aged 60 and above were selected from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS 2017-2018). The design of the CLHLS study was approved by the Campus Institutional Review Board of Duke University (Pro00062871) and the Biomedical Ethics Committee of Peking University (IRB00001052-13,074). The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10 (CESD-10) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7) were used to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms. Central and bridge symptoms were identified via "Expected Influence" and "Bridge Expected Influence", respectively. Network stability was assessed using the case-dropping bootstrap technique.

Results

Network analysis identified CESD3 (Feeling blue/depressed), GAD4 (Trouble relaxing), and GAD2 (Uncontrollable worry) as the most influential central symptoms in the network of depression and anxiety. Concurrently, GAD1 (Nervousness or anxiety), CESD10 (Sleep disturbances), and CESD1 (Feeling bothered) stand as critical bridge symptoms between depression and anxiety disorders. Moreover, CESD7 (Lack of happiness) exhibited the strongest negative correlation with LS in Chinese hypertensive older adults.

Conclusion

This exploratory study represents the first investigation to examine the mutual relationship between depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese hypertensive older adults. Interventions addressing targeting bridge symptoms have the potential to alleviate depressive and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, improving happiness, hope, and sleep quality in this population may mitigate the adverse effects of depression and anxiety on LS.

Molecular Changes Associated with Suicide

Suicide is a serious global public health problem, with a worrying recent increase in suicide rates in both adolescent and adult populations. However, it is essential to recognize that suicide is preventable. A myriad of factors contributes to an individual's vulnerability to suicide. These factors include various potential causes, from psychiatric disorders to genetic and epigenetic alterations. These changes can induce dysfunctions in crucial systems such as the serotonergic, cannabinoid, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes. In addition, early life experiences of abuse can profoundly impact an individual's ability to cope with stress, ultimately leading to changes in the inflammatory system, which is a significant risk factor for suicidal behavior. Thus, it is clear that suicidal behavior may result from a confluence of multiple factors. This review examines the primary risk factors associated with suicidal behavior, including psychiatric disorders, early life adversities, and epigenetic modifications. Our goal is to elucidate the molecular changes at the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular levels in the brains of individuals who have taken their own lives and in the plasma and peripheral mononuclear cells of suicide attempters and how these changes may serve as predisposing factors for suicidal tendencies.