Associations between indicators of diet quality and psychological distress, depression and anxiety in emerging adults: results from a nationally representative observational sample

Objective: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure of the 6-item version of the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Methods: A subsample of emerging adults, aged 18–29 ( n = 20,699), from the 2013 National Survey of Drug Use and Health were used in this study. Results: Each of the models (one-factor, two-factor depression and anxiety and second-order two-factor psychological distress by depression and anxiety) demonstrated good fit, with significant loadings on each factor. The second-order two-factor model and the two-factor model were equivalent and a better fit than the one-factor model. Conclusions: Findings suggest that researchers and practitioners may confidently use the K6 to screen for psychological distress symptoms within the emerging adult population.

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Can Supportive Siblings Protect against the Risk that Stress from Feelings of Alienation with Parents and Peers Poses to Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood?

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x21993859 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2199385

Author(s):

Muna Osman ◽

Dave Miranda

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Moderated Mediation ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Moderated Mediation Model ◽

Two Samples

Feelings of alienation with parents and peers can lead to psychological distress, possibly because such feelings are stressful. Supportive siblings are known to foster mental health in youth, but research in emerging adulthood is limited. We hypothesized supportive sibling climate as a protective factor in the risks that stress from parent and peer alienation poses to psychological distress among emerging adults. A proposed moderated-mediation model was tested, across three samples, using latent moderated mediation structural equation modeling. Results indicated that parental and peer alienation were associated with more psychological distress, and stress partially mediated the link between parental (but not peer) alienation and psychological distress in two samples. However, a supportive sibling climate was not protective as it did not moderate the links among alienation, stress, and psychological distress. In sum, siblings seem beneficial, but perhaps it is not sufficient to protect emerging adults’ mental health against stress from parent and peer alienation.

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Mental health in higher education students and non-students: evidence from a nationally representative panel study

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-021-02032-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Evangeline Tabor ◽

Praveetha Patalay ◽

David Bann

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Panel Study ◽

Education Students ◽

Lower Odds ◽

Score Difference ◽

Mental Health Support ◽

Health Support ◽

Nationally Representative

AbstractDespite increasing policy focus on mental health provision for higher education students, it is unclear whether they have worse mental health outcomes than their non-student peers. In a nationally-representative UK study spanning 2010–2019 (N = 11,519), 17–24 year olds who attended higher education had lower average psychological distress (GHQ score difference = − 0.37, 95% CI − 0.60, − 0.08) and lower odds of case-level distress than those who did not (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.81, 1.02). Increases in distress between 2010 and 2019 were similar in both groups. Accessible mental health support outside higher education settings is necessary to prevent further widening of socioeconomic inequalities in mental health.

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Dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids in relation to depression, anxiety and psychological distress

Nutrition Journal ◽

10.1186/s12937-021-00670-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Glareh Koochakpoor ◽

Asma Salari-Moghaddam ◽

Ammar Hassanzadeh Keshteli ◽

Hamid Afshar ◽

Ahmad Esmaillzadeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Psychological Disorders ◽

Branched Chain Amino Acids ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Lower Odds ◽

Significant Inverse Association ◽

Branched Chain

Abstract Background There is no previous study that examined the association between branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) intake and odds of psychological disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dietary BCAAs and odds of psychological disorders including depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in a large sample of Iranian adults. Methods In this cross-sectional study on 3175 Iranian adults aged 18–55 years, a validated food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intakes. BCAAs intake was computed by summing up the amount of valine, leucine, and isoleucine intake from all food items in the questionnaire. Psychological health was examined through the use of Iranian validated version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Psychological distress was assessed using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). For depression and anxiety, scores of 8 or more on either subscale were considered as psychological disorders and scores of 0–7 were defined as “normal”. In terms of psychological distress, the score of 4 or more was defined as psychological distress. Results Mean age of study participants was 36.2 ± 7.8 years. Overall, 26.4% (n = 837) of study subjects had depression, 11.9% (n = 378) had anxiety and 20.9% (n = 665) were affected by psychological distress. After controlling for potential confounders, participants in the highest tertile of total BCAAs intake had lower odds of depression (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60–0.96) and anxiety (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.47–0.91) compared with those in the lowest tertile. Participants in the top tertile of valine intake had a lower odds of depression (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60–0.96) and anxiety (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.47–0.90) compared with those in the bottom tertile. A significant inverse association was also seen between leucine intake and depression (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61–0.98) and anxiety (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.47–0.91). In addition, a significant inverse association was observed between isoleucine intake and odds of depression (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.59–0.95) and anxiety (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.45–0.86). There was no significant association between isoleucine intake and odds of psychological distress. Conclusion Evidence indicating an inverse association between dietary intake of BCAAs and odds of depression and anxiety was found. Prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

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Does Neighborhood Cohesion Moderate the Association between Cancer and Psychological Distress?

Journal of Applied Social Science ◽

10.1177/19367244211043071 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 193672442110430

Author(s):

Victoria A. Reynolds ◽

Manacy Pai

Keyword(s):

Cervical Cancer ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Social Cohesion ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Neighborhood Cohesion ◽

Breast And Cervical Cancer ◽

Neighborhood Social Cohesion ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Interview Survey ◽

Nationally Representative

The purpose of this study is to examine (a) the association between cancer diagnosis and psychological distress and (b) the extent to which this association is moderated by perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion. Data are drawn from the 2013 wave of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative survey on broad health topics. We employ ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to examine the links between cancer, neighborhood cohesion, and distress. Findings reveal no statistically significant difference in psychological distress between women with breast and cervical cancer. However, neighborhood social cohesion does moderate the effect of cancer on distress. While perceptions of neighborhood cohesion do not affect levels of psychological distress among women with breast cancer, perceived connectedness with neighbors translates into significantly lower levels of mental distress among women diagnosed with cervical cancer.

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The Reliability and Factorial Validity of a Multidimensional Measure of Psychological Symptomatology in South Africa

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/008124639402400404 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 194-200 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

John Duckitt

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

Internal Consistency Reliability ◽

Self Report ◽

Factorial Validity ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Symptom Index ◽

South Africans ◽

Good Internal Consistency ◽

Nationally Representative

The Psychiatric Symptom Index (PSI) was originally developed and validated on a large sample of Chicago residents as a 29-item self-report measure of psychological distress (Ilfeld, 1976b). It has a number of advantages that make it suitable for use in community surveys: relative brevity, a clear and meaningful multidimensional structure, and promising initial evidence for reliability and validity. Since there appears to have been little cross-validation of the PSI, the present study set out to assess its reliability and factorial validity in a large, nationally representative sample of white South Africans ( N = 782). The findings indicated good internal consistency reliability, and excellent factorial validity for the four subscales of anger, anxiety, depression, and cognitive disturbance. The PSI scales also showed an appropriate degree of independence from each other except for depression and anxiety where the intercorrelation was somewhat high. It was found that shorter depression and anxiety subscales would be adequately reliable and reduce this overlap. Finally, normative data are reported for use with white South African samples.

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Depression and anxiety at time of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation and the biological link with cardiovascular disease

EP Europace ◽

10.1093/europace/euab116.331 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (Supplement_3) ◽

Author(s):

ACJ Van Der Lingen ◽

MT Rijnierse ◽

AM Hooghiemstra ◽

S Elshout ◽

VP Van Halm ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Autonomic Function ◽

Nyha Class ◽

Functional Class ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Icd Implantation ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Nyha Functional Class ◽

Inflammatory Status ◽

Cardiac Status

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Psychological distress, such as symptoms of anxiety and depression, are frequently present in patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and they are associated with adverse outcomes. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms may explain the link between psychological distress and cardiovascular disease, such as autonomic dysfunction, neuro-endocrine alterations and chronic inflammation. Purpose The present study aims to examine the prevalence of psychological distress at time of ICD implantation and evaluates the complex interplay between psychological distress, autonomic function, neuro-endocrine alterations and inflammatory status in ICD patients. Methods We conducted a prospective study that included ICD patients receiving an ICD for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Prior to implantation, patients underwent extensive psychological evaluation, including validated questionnaires for depression, anxiety and personality traits. Cardiac status was evaluated by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessment, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class evaluation, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and 24-hour Holter monitoring for heart rate variability (HRV). Thyroid function, catecholamine levels and inflammatory status were also evaluated. Results Of 178 patients included (age 64 ± 12, 79% male, LVEF 35 ± 13%), 35% had symptoms of depression and 32% had symptoms of anxiety. Symptoms of depression and anxiety increased significantly with higher NYHA functional class (P < 0.001). Depressive symptoms were associated with a reduced 6MWT (411 ± 128 m versus 488 ± 89 m, P < 0.001), lower LVEF (29 ± 9% versus 36 ± 13%, P = 0.03), higher heart rate (74 ± 13 bpm versus 70 ± 13 bpm, P = 0.02), higher thyroid stimulating hormone levels (1.8 [1.3-2.8] mU/L versus 1.5 [1.0-2.2] mU/L, P = 0.04) and multiple HRV parameters, indicating reduced HRV. Anxiety symptoms were only associated with a reduced 6MWT (433 ± 112 m versus 477 ± 102, P = 0.02). Symptoms of depression or anxiety were not correlated with c-reactive protein, NT-proBNP or catecholamine levels. Conclusion A substantial part of ICD patients has symptoms of depression and anxiety at time of ICD implantation. Depression was correlated with a higher NYHA class, reduced exercise capacity, reduced LV-function and alterations in autonomic function, suggesting a biological link between depression and cardiac status. Whether depression and anxiety leads to an increase in ventricular arrhythmias will be determined during further follow-up. Abstract Figure. NYHA class and psychological distress

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Heterogeneous Mental Health Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom

10.1101/2021.02.24.21251565 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lea Ellwardt ◽

Patrick Praeg

Keyword(s):

United Kingdom ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Latent Class ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Social Lives ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Policy Measures ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Uk

Aim. The COVID-19 pandemic and the mitigation measures by governments have upended the economic and social lives of many, leading to widespread psychological distress. However, how distress developed during the pandemic and who was most affected is poorly understood. We explore heterogeneity in trajectories of psychological distress during the first six months of the pandemic in the United Kingdom and relate this heterogeneity to socio-demographic and health factors. Subjects and Methods. We analyze six waves of longitudinal, nationally representative survey data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (N = 15,218), covering the first lockdown in 2020. First, latent class mixture modelling (LCCM) is used to identify trajectories of psychological distress. Second, associations of the trajectories with covariates are tested with multinomial logistic regressions. Results. We find four different trajectories of distress: continuously low, continuously moderate, temporarily elevated, and continuously elevated distress. One-fifth of the population experienced severely elevated risks of distress. Long-term exposure was highest among younger people, women, those who lost income, and those with previous health conditions or COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion. Given the threat of persistent stress on health, policy measures should be sensitized to the unintended yet far-reaching consequences of non-pharmaceutical interventions.

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Socioeconomic disparities in psychological distress in a nationally representative sample of Japanese adolescents: A time trend study

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0004867416664142 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 278-286 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yuko Kachi ◽

Aya Abe ◽

Emiko Ando ◽

Tomoyuki Kawada

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Confidence Interval ◽

Household Income ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Japanese Adolescents ◽

Nationally Representative

Objective: Socioeconomic status as a determinant of mental health problems has received scant attention in Japan, which has long been considered an egalitarian society. This study examined the association between socioeconomic status and psychological distress and its trends over 6 years among Japanese adolescents. Methods: We used data from a nationally representative sample of 9491 adolescents aged 12–18 years who participated in three repeated cross-sectional surveys between 2007 and 2013. The K6 scale was used to assess psychological distress. Socioeconomic status indicators included household income, parental education, parental working status and household structure. Results: Psychological distress prevalence decreased significantly from 2007 (10.7%) to 2013 (7.6%). However, the socioeconomic status patterns of psychological distress were consistent through the study period. Adolescents living in both lower (odds ratio = 1.61; 95% confidence interval = [1.27, 2.05]) and higher income households (odds ratio = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = [1.03, 1.62]) were more likely to report psychological distress than their middle-income counterparts. Adolescents with low household income were more likely to feel stress from interpersonal relationships and less likely to have help-seeking behaviors, while those with high household income were more likely to feel stress about school achievement. Psychological distress was also associated with parental poor education and single parenthood. Conclusions: Socioeconomic status disparities in adolescent psychological distress were evident and consistent during the 6-year period. There is a unique U-shaped relationship between household income and psychological distress among adolescents in Japan, unlike those from other countries. However, the underlying mechanisms may differ by income status. Future prevention efforts should consider socioeconomic status as a determinant of adolescent mental health problems.

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