Associations between depressive symptoms and sedentary behaviors in dyads: Longitudinal crossover effects

Abstract

ObjectiveEvidence-based models linking depressive symptoms and sedentary behaviors suggest that they may both exacerbate each other, leading to a vicious cycle. While existing theory and research focus on within-individual associations between sedentary behaviors and depressive symptoms, this study investigated crossover effects (i.e., from one person to another) of sedentary behaviors of one person in the dyad on depressive symptoms in their partners. Second, we tested the crossover effects of depressive symptoms of one person in the dyad on sedentary behaviors in their partners. MethodsData from 320 dyads were analyzed using cross-lagged path models. Dyads included a person attempting to become more physically active (the focus person) and their partners, supporting behavior change of focus persons. Participants were 18–90 years old. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and sedentary time was measured with GT3X-BT accelerometers at Time 1 (T1; baseline), Time 2 (T2; 8-month follow-up), and Time 3 (T3; 14-month follow-up). ResultsSignificant time-lagged crossover effects were found: focus persons' depressive symptoms (T1) predicted partners' sedentary time (T2); partners' sedentary time (T1) predicted focus persons' depressive symptoms (T2); and focus persons' depressive symptoms (T2) predicted partners’ sedentary time (T3). A significant indirect effect indicated that longer sedentary time among partners (T1) predicted more depressive symptoms among focus persons (T2), which in turn were associated with longer sedentary time among partners (T3). ConclusionsThe study provides preliminary support for a dyadic vicious cycle of sedentary behaviors and depressive symptoms.