scholarly journals Network structure of depression and anxiety symptoms in Chinese female nursing students

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Ren ◽  
Yifei Wang ◽  
Lin Wu ◽  
Zihan Wei ◽  
Long-Biao Cui ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Comorbidity between depressive and anxiety disorders is common. From network perspective, mental disorders arise from direct interactions between symptoms and comorbidity is due to direct interactions between depression and anxiety symptoms. The current study investigates the network structure of depression and anxiety symptoms in Chinese female nursing students and identifies the central and bridge symptoms as well as how other symptoms in present network are related to depression symptom “thoughts of death”. Methods To understand the full spectrum of depression and anxiety, we recruited 776 Chinese female nursing students with symptoms of depression and anxiety that span the full range of normal to abnormal. Depression symptoms were measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 while anxiety symptoms were measured by Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Questionnaire. Network analysis was used to construct networks. Specifically, we computed the predictability, expected influence and bridge expected influence for each symptom and showed a flow network of “thoughts of death”. Results Nine strongest edges existed in network were from the same disorder. Four were between depression symptoms, like “sleep difficulties” and “fatigue”, and “anhedonia” and “fatigue”. Five were between anxiety symptoms, like “nervousness or anxiety” and “worry too much”, and “restlessness” and “afraid something will happen”. The symptom “fatigue”, “feeling of worthlessness” and “irritable” had the highest expected influence centrality. Results also revealed two bridge symptoms: “depressed or sad mood” and “irritable”. As to “thoughts of death”, the direct relations between it and “psychomotor agitation/retardation” and “feeling of worthlessness” were the strongest direct relations. Conclusions The current study highlighted critical central symptoms “fatigue”, “feeling of worthlessness” and “irritable” and critical bridge symptoms “depressed or sad mood” and “irritable”. Particularly, “psychomotor agitation/retardation” and “feeling of worthlessness” were identified as key priorities due to their strongest associations with suicide ideation. Implications for clinical prevention and intervention based on these symptoms are discussed.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Bojanić ◽  
Erik R. Sund ◽  
Hege Sletvold ◽  
Ottar Bjerkeset

Abstract Background Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common in adults with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes mellitus (DM). The literature on depression and anxiety in CVDs and DM populations is extensive; however, studies examining these relationships over time, directly compared to adults without these conditions, are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate trends in depression and anxiety symptom prevalence over more than 20 years in adults with CVDs and DM compared to the general population. Methods We used data from the population-based Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT), Norway, including adults (≥ 20 years) from three waves; the HUNT2 (1995–97; n = 65,228), HUNT3 (2006–08; n = 50,800) and HUNT4 (2017–19; n = 56,042). Depressive and anxiety symptom prevalence was measured independently by the Hospital Anxiety and Depressions scale (HADS) in sex-stratified samples. We analyzed associations of these common psychological symptoms with CVDs and DM over time using multi-level random-effects models, accounting for repeated measurements and individual variation. Results Overall, the CVDs groups reported higher levels of depression than those free of CVDs in all waves of the study. Further, depressive and anxiety symptom prevalence in adults with and without CVDs and DM declined from HUNT2 to HUNT4, whereas women reported more anxiety than men. Positive associations of depression and anxiety symptoms with CVDs and DM in HUNT2 declined over time. However, associations of CVDs with depression symptoms remained over time in men. Moreover, in women, DM was associated with increased depression symptom risk in HUNT2 and HUNT4. Conclusions Depression and anxiety symptoms are frequent in adults with CVDs. Further, our time trend analysis indicates that anxiety and depression are differentially related to CVDs and DM and sex. This study highlights the importance of awareness and management of psychological symptoms in CVDs and DM populations.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gowranga Kumar Paul ◽  
Meshbahur Rahman ◽  
Shayla Naznin ◽  
Mashfiqul Haq Chowdhury ◽  
Md Jamal Uddin

Abstract Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest public health concern. It harmed everyone, both physically and mentally. Because of panic situations in COVID-19 pandemic, students all over the world, including those in Bangladesh, are suffering from depression and anxiety. Considering this, we aimed to assess psycho-emotional changes of the university students through investigating their level of depression and anxiety effects during panic and post-panic period of COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.Methods: Cross-sectional online surveys were conducted among university students in Bangladesh from April to July 2020 (panic period, n=170) and then from August to November 2020 (post-panic period, n=170). The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires were used to assess respondents' depression and anxiety levels, respectively. We used continuous scores to assess the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. We also computed binary depression and anxiety scores. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the data. Results: The proportion of depression symptoms was 49.4% during the panic period and 52.4% after the panic period. Anxiety symptoms were experienced by 38.2% of students during the panic period, and this percentage was nearly identical in the post-panic interval. Depression levels increased in the post-panic period and urban students have significantly (P< 0.05) higher levels of depression and anxiety than their counterparts. Female students also exhibited significantly more anxious symptoms (p=0.002) than male. Depression symptoms significantly vary by family types, students place of residence whereas students age, gender, education, family head's occupation, time period and family economic condition found no significant association with the depression.Conclusions: Students during the post-panic period have a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms than during the panic period. Although the difference was small, it was still concerning for university students in Bangladesh because it interfered with their academic life.


2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 254-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Margaret Coyle ◽  
Fiona C Lampe ◽  
Ada Rose Miltz ◽  
Janey Sewell ◽  
Jane Anderson ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo assess the association of symptoms of depression and anxiety with sexual risk behaviour and history, among women and heterosexual men attending genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics.MethodsAttitudes to and Understanding of Risk of Acquisition of HIV (AURAH) was a cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire study recruited from 20 GUM clinics in England, 2013–2014. This analysis included women and heterosexual men. The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms was assessed. Modified Poisson regression was used to produce adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) for the association of t demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors with depression and anxiety, adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity, education level and study region. Among individuals reporting sex in the past 3 months, associations of depression and anxiety with sexual risk behaviour and history were assessed separately by gender, adjusted for age, ethnicity, study region, education and relationship status.ResultsQuestionnaires were completed by 676 women and 470 heterosexual men. Depression symptoms were reported by 100 (14.8%) women and 33 men (7.0%). Anxiety symptoms were reported by 79 women (11.7%) and 21 men (4.5%). Among women reporting recent sex, those with depression symptoms were more likely to report condomless sex with a non-regular partner, aPR 1.38 (1.07–1.77) and recent condomless sex with two or more partners, 1.80 (1.25–2.59). Women with anxiety symptoms more likely to report recent condomless sex with two or more partners, 1.68 (1.13–2.50), low self-efficacy for condom use, 1.54 (1.02–2.31) and STI diagnosis in the last year 1.51 (1.04–2.20). Among heterosexual men reporting recent sex, depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with low self-efficacy with condom use, 2.32 (1.29–4.19) for depression and 2.23 (1.26–3.94) for anxiety, but not with measures of condomless sex.DiscussionThe associations between psychological symptoms and sexual risk behaviours highlight the importance of holistic assessment of need by both general and sexual health clinicians. We highlight the challenge in delivering holistic care associated with fragmentation of sexual health services.


Author(s):  
Simeng Wang ◽  
Qi Sun ◽  
Lingling Zhai ◽  
Yinglong Bai ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
...  

With the dramatic growth of the Chinese economy, the number of children/adolescents with being overweight/having obesity is increasing, which has a certain impact on their psychology, such as depression and anxiety symptoms. Our purpose was to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the prevalence and odds ratios of depression and anxiety symptoms among overweight/obese children/adolescents and non-overweight/obese children/adolescents in China. As of July 2018, the three most comprehensive computerized academic databases in China have been systematically screened, namely China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) databases, Wanfang databases and Vip databases. The same operations are performed in PubMed and Web of Science (SCIE) databases without language restrictions. Case-control studies on prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents in China were analyzed. Study selection and evaluation were performed independently by three authors. Unweighted prevalence, pooled random-effects estimates of odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were all calculated. A total of 11 eligible studies involving 17,894 subjects were included. The prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents was significantly higher than that in non-overweight/non-obese children/adolescents (depression: 21.73% vs. 17.96%, OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.87, p = 0.003; anxiety: 39.80% vs. 13.99%, OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.79, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses conducted according to scale types showed that scale types have certain significance to evaluate the relationship between depression symptoms and overweight/obesity. The OR of depression symptoms between overweight/obese children/adolescents and non-overweight/non-obese children/adolescents was greatest on the Middle School Student Mental Health Scale (MSSMHS) was 2.06 (95% CI: 1.41, 3.02, I2 = 0.00%), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.25, I2 = 0.00%), and Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.42, I2 = 0.00%). We concluded that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in overweight/obese children/adolescents in China is higher than that in the non-overweight/obese children/adolescents. The results of the study indicate that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among overweight/obese children/adolescents in Chinese medical institutions should receive more attention. Physical exercise and psychological interventions should be strengthened to prevent psychological problems. However, because of some clear limitations (no clinical interview and few studies), these results should be interpreted with caution.


Author(s):  
Rebecca E. Anthony ◽  
Amy L. Paine ◽  
Katherine H. Shelton

The mental health of birth parents has gained attention due to the serious negative consequences for personal, family, and child outcomes, but depression and anxiety in adoptive parents remains under-recognized. Using a prospective, longitudinal design, we investigated anxiety and depression symptoms in 96 British adoptive parents over four time points in the first four years of an adoptive placement. Depression and anxiety symptom scores were relatively stable across time. Growth curve analysis showed that higher child internalizing scores and lower parental sense of competency at five months post-placement were associated with higher initial levels of parental depressive symptoms. Lower parental sense of competency was also associated with higher initial levels of parental anxiety symptoms. Parents of older children and those with higher levels of parental anxiety and sense of competency at five months post-placement had a steeper decrease in depressive symptoms over time. Support for adoptive families primarily focuses on child adjustment. Our findings suggest that professional awareness of parental mental health post-placement may be necessary, and interventions aimed at improving parents’ sense of competency may be beneficial.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1935-1949 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Waszczuk ◽  
A. E. Coulson ◽  
A. M. Gregory ◽  
T. C. Eley

BackgroundMaladaptive cognitive biases such as negative attributional style and hopelessness have been implicated in the development and maintenance of depression. According to the hopelessness theory of depression, hopelessness mediates the association between attributional style and depression. The aetiological processes underpinning this influential theory remain unknown. The current study investigated genetic and environmental influences on hopelessness and its concurrent and longitudinal associations with attributional style and depression across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Furthermore, given high co-morbidity between depression and anxiety, the study investigated whether these maladaptive cognitions constitute transdiagnostic cognitive content common to both internalizing symptoms.MethodA total of 2619 twins/siblings reported attributional style (mean age 15 and 17 years), hopelessness (mean age 17 years), and depression and anxiety symptoms (mean age 17 and 20 years).ResultsPartial correlations revealed that attributional style and hopelessness were uniquely associated with depression but not anxiety symptoms. Hopelessness partially mediated the relationship between attributional style and depression. Hopelessness was moderately heritable (A = 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.28–0.47), with remaining variance accounted for by non-shared environmental influences. Independent pathway models indicated that a set of common genetic influences largely accounted for the association between attributional style, hopelessness and depression symptoms, both concurrently and across development.ConclusionsThe results provide novel evidence that associations between attributional style, hopelessness and depression symptoms are largely due to shared genetic liability, suggesting developmentally stable biological pathways underpinning the hopelessness theory of depression. Both attributional style and hopelessness constituted unique cognitive content in depression. The results inform molecular genetics research and cognitive treatment approaches.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evin Aktar ◽  
Cristina Colonnesi ◽  
Wieke de Vente ◽  
Mirjana Majdandžić ◽  
Susan M. Bögels

AbstractThe present study investigated the associations of mothers' and fathers' lifetime depression and anxiety symptoms, and of infants' negative temperament with parents' and infants' gaze, facial expressions of emotion, and synchrony. We observed infants' (age between 3.5 and 5.5 months, N = 101) and parents' gaze and facial expressions during 4-min naturalistic face-to-face interactions. Parents' lifetime symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed with clinical interviews, and infants' negative temperament was measured with standardized observations. Parents with more depressive symptoms and their infants expressed less positive and more neutral affect. Parents' lifetime anxiety symptoms were not significantly related to parents' expressions of affect, while they were linked to longer durations of gaze to parent, and to more positive and negative affect in infants. Parents' lifetime depression or anxiety was not related to synchrony. Infants' temperament did not predict infants' or parents' interactive behavior. The study reveals that more depression symptoms in parents are linked to more neutral affect from parents and from infants during face-to-face interactions, while parents' anxiety symptoms are related to more attention to parent and less neutral affect from infants (but not from parents).


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 189-190
Author(s):  
R.K. Al Jurdi ◽  
L. Gyulai ◽  
M. Sajatovic ◽  
C.X. Nguyen

IntroductionA paucity of evidence describes the presentation of depression across age groups among patients with bipolar disorder.ObjectivesWe explored the symptoms and the severity of acute bipolar depression in a multicenter, naturalistic follow-up study for treating bipolar disorder.AimsTo investigate whether specific depression symptoms are more frequent and/or severe in the elderly with bipolar disorder compared to a younger cohort.MethodsThe Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder is a National Institute of Mental Health-funded project to evaluate the longitudinal outcome of patients with bipolar disorder. Patients were categorized with “depression” if they experienced at least two consecutive weeks of five clinically significant depression symptoms (change in sleep or appetite; decreased energy; low mood, guilt or low self-esteem; anhedonia; decreased concentration or increased distractibility; psychomotor agitation or retardation; and presence of suicidal thoughts, intent or plans). Patients were stratified by age, (20-59 and >60), and data of all diagnosed with depression were analyzed.ResultsOf 3,615 participants with bipolar subtype-I or II, 1,564 were diagnosed with depression. Ninety-eight (6.3%) were at least 60 years of age. The most common symptoms in both groups were anhedonia and decreased energy. Younger adults were more likely to have low self-esteem, distractibility, and psychomotor agitation. Except for decreased sleep in the younger cohort, the severity of symptoms was comparable between groups. The two cohorts had a Clinical Global Impression score of 3.99 (p = .887).[Step BD- Depression Rating Guidelines][STEP-BD Bipolar Depression Symptoms by Age][STEP BD Bipolar Depression Symptom Severity]ConclusionsPresenting symptoms and severity of depression in patients with bipolar disorder are comparable across age groups.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Hull ◽  
Jacob Levine ◽  
Niels Bantilan ◽  
Angel N. Desai ◽  
Maimuna S. Majumder

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted mortality, economic conditions, and mental health and these impacts are likely to continue after the pandemic comes to an end. OBJECTIVE At present, no method has characterized the mental health burden of the pandemic distinct from pre-COVID-19 levels. Accurate detection of illness is critical to facilitate pandemic-related treatment to prevent worsening symptoms. METHODS An algorithm for the isolation of pandemic-related concerns on a large digital mental health service is reported that utilized natural language processing (NLP) on unstructured therapy transcript data, in parallel with brief clinical assessments of depression and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS Results demonstrate a significant increase in COVID-related intake anxiety symptoms, but no detectable difference in intake depression symptoms. Transcript analyses identified terms classifiable into 24 symptoms in excess of those included in the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS Findings for this large digital therapy service suggest that treatment seekers are presenting with more severe intake anxiety levels than before the COVID-19 outbreak. Importantly, monitoring additional symptoms as part of a new COVID-19 Syndrome category could be advised to fully capture the effects of COVID019 on mental health.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinfeng Cheng ◽  
He Bu ◽  
Wenjie Duan

Abstract Background High suicide risk among the aged population is a growing concern. Research has linked depression symptoms to suicidal ideation in the general population. The present study examines whether negative self-beliefs mediate the cross-sectional association between depression symptoms and suicide ideation. Methods A sample of 67 elderly participants from nursing homes, ranging in age from 62 to 91 years ( M = 80.00, SD = 6.67 years; three participants did not indicate the age), completed the Negative Self Belief Inventory, the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale, and the 7-item depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Results The results show that the associations between depression symptom, negative self-beliefs and suicide ideation were positive ( r = .44 - .52, p < .001). Depression symptoms contributed another 13.70% explained variances. It independently explained another 5.7% variances beyond other variables to suicide ideation after the entering of negative self-belief ( B = 0.126, t = 2.183, p < .05). The indirect effect of depression symptoms on suicide ideation through negative self-belief was significant (Effect = 0.223, 95% BCa CI = [0.034, 0.468]). Conclusion Depression predicts suicide ideation via negative self -beliefs. The current study, incorporated theoretical assumptions and empirical findings in the context of Chinese culture into western prevalent suicide theories. Treatments focusing on restructuring negative self-beliefs are promising to reduce suicide in older adults in China. Future studies should test whether the mechanism in our study can transcend national and cultural boundaries.


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