Variance In Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

The impact of physical functions on depressive symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease that affects the central nervous system. The impact of MS transcends physical functions and extends to psychological impairment. Approximately 50% of people with MS develop depressive symptoms during their lifetime and depressive symptoms may predict impairment of physical functions. However, prediction of depressive symptoms based on objective measures of physical functions is still necessary. To compare physical functions between people with MS presenting depressive symptoms or not and to identify predictors of depressive symptoms using objective measures of physical functions. Cross-sectional study including 26 people with MS. Anxiety and/or depressive symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Outcomes of physical functions included: the Nnnine-hole Ppeg Ttest (NHPT), knee muscle strength, balance control, the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Perceived exertion was measured using the Borg scale. The frequency of depressive symptoms was 42% in people with MS. Balance control during a more challenging task was impaired in people with MS who presented depressive symptoms. Balance could explain 21-24% of the variance in depressive symptoms. 6MWT and TUG presented a trend of significance explaining 16% of the variance in the BDI-II score. Impairment in physical functions consists in a potential predictor of depressive symptoms in people with MS. Exercise interventions aiming at the improvement of physical functions, together with the treatment of depressive symptoms and conventional medical treatment, are suggested.

Stressors, Legal Vulnerability and Bangladeshi Parent and Child Well-Being in New York City.

A growing body of research is documenting the impact of parental legal status on familial and child well-being in the U.S. This study adds to the literature by examining the relation of legal vulnerability with the health and mental health of Bangladeshi immigrant parents and their children. A cross-sectional study with 73 immigrant Bangladeshi families was conducted in New York City. Parents reported on legal status indicators, perceived stressors, health, and child mental health indicators. Parents with greater legal vulnerability reported significantly greater immigration-related stressors and poorer perceived health outcomes for themselves and their children in comparison with parents having less legal vulnerability. Immigration stressors explained a significant amount of variance in parent symptoms of depression, tension, and sleep problems and child mental health indicators, beyond the variance explained by acculturation stress and financial stress. Practitioners should be aware that legal vulnerability and associated immigration stressors are adversely associated with Bangladeshi health and mental health.

Within- and between-person effects in the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and depressive symptoms.

Theory suggests that a stressful working environment negatively affects workers' health. However, methodological limitations in observational studies often restrict conclusions about observed relationships. In this study, we examined cross-lagged effects of effort-reward imbalance (ERI; i.e., an indicator of work stress) and mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms) at the within-person level, while accounting for between-person variability. We used data from five panel waves gathered in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), comprising N = 5,778 (self-)employed individuals aged 50 years or older. Repeated measures for both ERI and depressive symptoms were modeled using random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling. The results showed no cross-lagged effects of ERI and depressive symptoms at the within-person level, but the intra-individual variations in ERI were positively related to the intra-individual variations in depressive symptoms at the same point in time. At the between-person level, it showed that individuals with generally higher levels of ERI tend to demonstrate generally higher levels of depressive symptoms. The findings question the notion that ERI and depressive symptoms influence each other over the course of time, but rather indicate that third variable effects account for observed relationships between these constructs.

Complex mediating effects of rumination facets between personality traits and depressive symptoms.

This study investigates whether facets of rumination statistically mediate the relationships between Big Five personality traits and depressive symptoms. Self-reported personality traits and rumination were investigated as predictors of depressive symptoms in a cross-sectional sample of 3043 participants aged 18-60 years (68.8% female). Multiple regression analysis investigated which personality traits and rumination facets best explained variance in depressive symptoms. Structural equation modelling was used to determine whether facets of rumination mediated the relationships between personality traits and depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analysis found that variance in depressive symptoms was best explained by the personality traits neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness; and both facets of rumination, brooding and reflection. Structural equation modelling added that the effects of neuroticism, extroversion, conscientiousness and openness on depressive symptoms were statistically mediated by brooding; the effects of neuroticism, extroversion and openness to depressive symptoms were statistically mediated by reflection. Rumination facets statistically mediated the effects of various personality traits on depressive symptoms. These results provide insights into which individuals may be best suited to treatments for depression targeting rumination.

Parental role alteration strongly influences depressive symptoms in mothers of preoperative infants with congenital heart disease

BackgroundMothers of infants with congenital heart disease are at risk for depression. ObjectivesThis study explored the influence on maternal depressive symptoms of several known factors for mothers in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, including perceived stressors, attachment, and anxiety. MethodsThis study was a secondary analysis of 30 mothers of infants awaiting cardiac surgery. Linear regressions were calculated to determine the relationships between perceived stressors, maternal attachment, anxiety, and maternal depressive symptoms. ResultsNearly half of mothers reported depressive symptoms above the measure cut-off score, indicating they were at risk for likely clinical depression. Subscales of perceived stress explained 61.7% of the variance in depressive symptoms (F = 11.815, p<0.0001) with parental role alteration subscale as the strongest predictor (standardized beta=0.694, p = 0.03). ConclusionsFindings underscore the importance of mental health screening and instituting nursing practices to enhance parental role for mothers of infants awaiting cardiac surgery.

Urban-Rural Mental Health Disparities in China: The Neighborhood Effects

This paper intended to explore the neighborhood effects on mental health disparities of urban and rural residents in Mainland China. Data were drawn from the CHARLS baseline (2011). The sample included 450 neighborhoods, with 3907 urban residents and 13,391 rural residents older than 45 years old. Multilevel model was used to determine the neighborhoods’ effects and individual effects on depressive symptom scores (CES-D). Independent variables included social activities, health status, and demographic characteristics. The result reveals three context effects of urban-rural neighborhoods: first, people living in urban communities reported better physical health, higher educational levels, and lower depressive symptoms than their rural counterparts. Second, people living in urban communities are more engaged in social activities than people living in rural villages. Third, the urban neighborhoods present more variations in depressive symptoms and social activities than the rural neighborhoods.

Maternal depression and factors predicting depressive symptoms in adolescents in Bali, Indonesia

Abstract Purpose This study was conducted to investigate the predictive power of mothers’ depressive symptoms, perceived maternal parenting, perceived life stress, coping strategies, and resilience on adolescents’ depressive symptoms in Bali, Indonesia. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping Theory was used to guide the conceptual framework. Design This study used a descriptive, correlational predictive design. Methods A total of 243 adolescents aged 15–19 years from a public school in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, and their mothers were recruited. A demographic data form, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Negative Event Scale (NES), the Brief COPE Inventory (Brief COPE), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to measure the variables in this study. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Main finding The mothers’ depressive symptoms, perceived maternal parenting, perceived life stress, coping strategies, and resilience could explain 40.8% of the variance in depressive symptoms in adolescents (R2 = .408, F = 32.61, p Conclusions and recommendation The results of this study can guide nurses to understand what could be manipulated by nursing interventions to prevent depressive symptoms in adolescents and promote optimal mental health in the vulnerable population.

Adapting the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale for community-based depressive symptoms screening interview among older Chinese: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveLoneliness is a significant and independent risk factor for depression in later life. Particularly in Asian culture, older people may find it less stigmatising to express loneliness than depression. This...

Does Self-Compassion Moderate the Cross-Sectional Association Between Life Stress and Depressive Symptoms?

The central aims of the present study were to evaluate bivariate and multivariate associations between components of self-compassion and depressive symptoms, and to investigate the degree to which self-compassion and its components buffer the association between life stress and depressive symptoms. In a sample of female undergraduate students, linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) total and subscale scores as predictors of depressive symptoms (n = 218), and the total and subscale scores as moderators of the cross-sectional association between negative life events and depressive symptoms (n = 216). The SCS total and subscale scores, coded such that higher scores indicated higher self-compassion, were all significantly and negatively associated with depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). When depressive symptoms were simultaneously regressed on all SCS subscales, high correlations among subscales limited our ability to interpret parameter estimates. A post hoc analysis was therefore conducted in which depressive symptoms were regressed on composites of positive (self-compassion) and negative (uncompassionate behavior) subscales of the SCS. Results indicated that only uncompassionate behavior was significantly associated with unique variance in depressive symptoms. Neither the SCS total score nor any of the subscale scores significantly moderated the association between negative life events and depressive symptoms. Self-compassion, particularly uncompassionate behavior, is associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, irrespective of the experience of negative life events. However, self-compassion does not buffer the positive cross-sectional association of negative life events with depressive symptoms.

How important are parents in the development of child anxiety and depression? A genomic analysis of parent-offspring trios in the Norwegian Mother Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa)

BackgroundMany studies detect associations between parent behaviour and child symptoms of anxiety and depression. Despite knowledge that anxiety and depression are influenced by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors, most studies do not account for shared familial genetic risk. Quantitative genetic designs provide a means of controlling for shared genetics, but rely on observed putative exposure variables, and require data from highly specific family structures.MethodsThe intergenerational genomic method, Relatedness Disequilibrium Regression (RDR), indexes environmental effects of parents on child traits using measured genotypes. RDR estimates how much the parent genome influences the child indirectly via the environment, over and above effects of genetic factors acting directly in the child. This ‘genetic nurture’ effect is agnostic to parent phenotype and captures unmeasured heritable parent behaviours. We applied RDR in a sample of 11,598 parent-offspring trios from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) to estimate parental genetic nurture separately from direct child genetic effects on anxiety and depression symptoms at age 8. We tested for mediation of genetic nurture via maternal anxiety and depression symptoms. Results were compared to a complementary non-genomic pedigree model.ResultsParental genetic nurture explained 14% of the variance in depression symptoms at age 8. Subsequent analyses suggested that maternal anxiety and depression partially mediated this effect. The genetic nurture effect was mirrored by the finding of family environmental influence in our pedigree model. In contrast, variance in anxiety symptoms was not significantly influenced by common genetic variation in children or parents, despite a moderate pedigree heritability.ConclusionsGenomic methods like RDR represent new opportunities for genetically sensitive family research on complex human traits, which until now has been largely confined to adoption, twin and other pedigree designs. Our results are relevant to debates about the role of parents in the development of anxiety and depression in children, and possibly where to intervene to reduce problems.

Multiple modifiable lifestyle factors and the risk of perinatal depression during pregnancy: Findings from the GUSTO cohort

BackgroundStudies have identified lifestyle risk factors for perinatal depression, but none have examined the cumulative effect of these risk factors in pregnant women. MethodsWe considered the following six factors during pregnancy: poor diet quality (Healthy eating index for Singapore pregnant women<median), poor sleep quality (global Pittsburgh sleep quality index score > 5), physical inactivity (<600 MET-minutes/week), vitamin D insufficiency (<50 nmol/l), smoking before or during pregnancy, and the perceived need for social support. Probable depression was assessed using the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale during pregnancy (>15) and at three months postpartum (≥13). Prevalence risk ratios were calculated with Poisson regressions while adjusting for potential confounders. ResultsOf 535 pregnant women, 207 (39%) had zero or one risk factor, 146 (27%) had two, 119 (22%) had three, 48 (9%) had four, and 15 (3%) had ≥5 risk factors at 26–28 weeks' gestation. These six lifestyle habits contributed to 32% of the variance in depressive symptoms during pregnancy. The prevalence of being probably depressed was 6.4 (95% CI 2.1, 19.8; ptrend < 0.001) for expecting women who had ≥4 risk factors compared to women who had ≤1 risk factor. No association was observed between the number of risk factors and depressive symptoms at 3 months postpartum (ptrend = 0.746). ConclusionPregnant women with ≥4 lifestyle risk factors showed a higher prevalence of depression during pregnancy, while no associations were observed for postpartum depression. Clinical trial registrationThis cohort is registered under the Clinical Trials identifier NCT01174875;http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01174875?term=GUSTO&rank=2

The effect of cognitive symptoms in binge eating disorder on depression and self-esteem: a cross-sectional study.

To compare individuals with class II and III obesity with and without binge eating disorder (BED) in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, eating behaviors, and cognitive variables thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease. The participants were selected from volunteer patients with body mass index ≥ 35 applying to the Ondokuz Mayıs University Medical Faculty, Turkey, for bariatric surgery between 01.07.2016 and 31.05.2019. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) were administered to all participants. Binge eating disorder (BED) was determined in 95 (34%) of the 278 individuals applying for bariatric surgery. The frequency of previous psychiatric diseases was higher in the BED group than in the non-BED group. BDI, RSES, total EDE-Q, weight concern, shape concern, and eating concern EDE-Q subscale scores were also higher in the BED group. Correlation analysis revealed positive low correlation between depression scores and total EDE-Q scores and all subscales scores, with the exception of restraint. Positive low correlation was determined between decreased self-esteem and body weight and shape concern. At multivariate regression analysis, cognitive variables explained 28.6% of variance in depressive symptoms in the BED group, and 21.5% of variance in self-esteem. The study results showed elevation in cognitive factors in patients with BED compared to the controls. Among these variables, eating and weight concern were shown to be associated with depressive symptoms, while eating concern was linked to self-esteem. Level III, case-control analytic study.

Emotion Regulation as a Time-Invariant and Time-Varying Covariate Predicts Outcome in an Internet-Based Psychodynamic Treatment Targeting Adolescent Depression.

ObjectiveAlthough psychodynamic psychotherapy is efficacious in the treatment of depression, research on mechanisms of change is still scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate if and how emotion regulation affects outcome both as a time-invariant and a lagged time-varying predictor.MethodThe sample consisted of 67 adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder, attending affect-focused psychodynamic internet-based treatment (IPDT). Linear mixed models were used to analyze emotion regulation as a baseline predictor and to assess the effect of within-person changes in emotion regulation on depression.ResultsAnalyses suggested that emotion regulation at baseline was a significant predictor of outcome, where participants with relatively larger emotion regulation deficits gained more from IPDT. Further, the results showed a significant effect of improved emotion regulation on subsequent depressive symptomatology. When not controlling for time, increased emotion regulation explained 41.23% of the variance in subsequent symptoms of depression. When detrending the results were still significant, but the amount of explained variance was reduced to 8.7%.ConclusionThe findings suggest that patients with relatively larger deficits in emotion regulation gain more from IPDT. Decreased emotion regulation deficits seem to act as a mechanism of change in IPDT as it drives subsequent changes in depression.Clinical Trial RegistrationInternational Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 16206254, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16206254.

Depressive symptoms among adolescents in Georgia: the role of ethnicity, low self-control, parents, and peers.

The present study tested the role of low self-control, positive parental and peer relationships, and ethnic minority status (Armenian or Azeri), in explaining variability in depressive symptoms in Georgian youth. Self-report data were collected from N = 8254 adolescents in Georgia (55.5% female, M age = 15.57, SD 1.03). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM)with latent constructs. Low self-control significantly and positively predicted depressive symptoms, while perceived parental warmth did so negatively; peer friendship quality was unrelated. Ethnic minority status explained a very small amount of unique variance in depressive symptoms for Azeri youth only, not for Armenian adolescents. Multi-group SEMmoderationtests provided evidence that the links between constructs were invariant across ethnic groups. The model explained 15.6% of variance in depressive symptoms. Findings support the salience of the tested depressive symptom correlates among Georgian adolescents, consistent with previous evidence from other countries. Adolescent ethnic minority status did not increase risk of depressive symptoms. Self-control emerged as the strongest correlate.

Perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms: a study of Vietnamese women who migrated to South Korea due to marriage

ABSTRACT International migrants are one group that is vulnerable to discrimination and mental health problems. This study examined the experience of perceived discrimination and its impact on depressive symptoms among women who migrated in the specific context of marriage. Using social constructionism and the stress appraisal model, this study conceptualized perceived discrimination as a potential source of stress and hypothesized that it would negatively impact the mental health of migrant women. A survey sample of 212 Vietnamese marriage migrant women in South Korea was used for the final analysis. Perceived discrimination was measured using the adapted Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Overall, approximately 62% of the sample reported having at least one discriminatory encounter based on the nine items of the EDS. The results of the multivariate analyses indicated that perceived discrimination posed a significant risk to mental health (β = 0.43, p < .001). The experience of perceived discrimination increased the amount of explained variance of depressive symptoms by 17%. Findings highlighted the adverse mental health consequences of daily unfair treatment and disrespect in interpersonal contexts and the importance of social policies and programs that promote respect for cultural diversity.

The Relationship of Acculturation, Traumatic Events and Depression in Female Refugees.

Recent research has identified significant correlations between traumatic events and depression in refugees. However, few studies have addressed the role of acculturation strategies in this relationship. This study explored the relationship between cultural orientation, traumatic events and depression in female refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, and Somalia living in Germany. We expected acculturation strategies to moderate the effect of traumatic experiences on depression. The sample included 98 female refugees in Germany. The depression scale of the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) represented the dependent measure. The trauma checklists derived from the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) as well as the Frankfurt Acculturation Scale (FRACC) were used as independent measures for traumatic events and orientation toward the host culture as well as orientation toward the culture of origin, respectively. A moderation analysis was conducted to examine whether the relationship between the number of traumatic events and depression was influenced by the women’s orientation toward the culture of origin and the host culture. We identified a significant model explaining 26.85% of the variance in depressive symptoms (Cohen’s f2 = 0.37). The number of traumatic events and the orientation toward the host culture exerted significant effects on depressive symptoms. The moderating effect was not significant, indicating that the effect of the number of traumatic events was not influenced by cultural orientation. Based on our results, orientation toward the host culture as well as traumatic experiences exert independent effects on depressive symptoms in refugees.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in train crash survivors in Italy: the role of mood spectrum dysregulations and intrusiveness.

To explore relationships among post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive spectrum symptoms, and intrusiveness in subjects who survived the crash of a train derailed carrying liquefied petroleum gas and exploded causing a fire. A sample of 111 subjects was enrolled in Viareggio, Italy. AMOS version 21 (IBM Corp, 2012) was utilized for a structural equation model-path analysis to model the direct and indirect links between the exposure to the traumatic event, the occurrence of depressive symptoms, and intrusiveness. Subjects were administered with the SCID-IV (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV), the Questionnaire for Mood Spectrum (MOODS-SR)-Last Month version, the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Questionnaire (TALS-SR), and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised version (IES-R). Sixty-six (66/111; 59.4%) subjects met SCID-IV criteria for PTSD. Indices of goodness of fit were as followed: χ2/df = 0.2 P = .6; comparative fit index = 1 and root mean square error of approximation = 0.0001. A significant path coefficient for direct effect of potential traumatic events on depressive symptoms (β = 0.25; P < .04) and from depressive symptoms to intrusiveness (β = 0.34; P < .003) was found. An indirect effect was also observed: standardized value of potential traumatic events on intrusiveness was 0.86. The mediating factor of this indirect effect path was represented by depressive symptoms. Potential traumatic events explained 6.2% of the variance of depressive symptoms; 11.8% of the variance of intrusiveness was accounted for traumatic event and depressive symptoms. Path analysis led us to speculate that depression symptoms might have mediated the relationship between the exposure to potential traumatic events and intrusiveness for the onset of PTSD.

General Belonging is a Key Predictor of Adolescent Depressive Symptoms and Partially Mediates School Belonging

Rates of depression among adolescents are alarmingly high. School belonging is among the strongest predictors of adolescent depressive symptoms. Research in the adult literature indicates that context-specific belonging may contribute to an overarching sense of general belonging, which may be a stronger and more proximal predictor. This is the first study to explore the importance of general belonging among a community sample of adolescents to understand its interrelationship with school belonging in predicting depression. This multisite study includes 502 adolescents aged 13–17 from four geographically distinct Australian schools (rural, coastal, regional city, and capital city). Participants completed questionnaires measuring depressive symptoms, school, and general belonging. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that school belonging, general belonging, and depressive symptoms are unique, separable constructs. Mediated regression revealed that school and general belonging accounted for 33.6% and 48.2% of the variance in depressive symptoms, respectively. General belonging partially mediated the association between school belonging and depressive symptoms, with school belonging expressing all but 7.8% of its influence on depression through general belonging. Results indicate that general belonging appears to have eclipsed school belonging as the largest known single independent correlate of adolescent depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, general belonging is strongly influenced by school belonging (accounting for approximately 35.0% of its variance). The strengths of the associations direct us to consider both context-specific and general belonging in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of adolescent depression.

On the nature of objective and perceived cognitive impairments in depressive symptoms and real-world functioning in young adults

Cognitive impairments in depression contribute to disability. According to prevailing cognitive theories, one's perception related to cognitive ability can cause and maintain depression, and related outcomes. Here, we investigate the degree to which perceived cognitive impairment predicts functional impairment above and beyond objective neurocognition. A sample of young adults (n = 123) completed a battery of tests measuring objective cognitive ability, perceived cognitive function (e.g., Perceived Deficits Questionnaire), disability (e.g., World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-2). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses tested the incremental variance that perceived cognitive impairment accounts for above and beyond neuropsychological test measures and disability related to depression. Results show that perceived cognitive impairment accounts for significant incremental variance in depressive symptoms beyond neuropsychological test scores; disability measures were significantly associated with depressive symptoms, as was perceived cognitive impairment. Individuals with depression and related disorders are more likely to report cognitive impairments and experience diminished cognitive ability - relative to healthy controls - regardless of objective impairments, highlighting the importance of considering, measuring, and treating this perceived cognitive impairment, that is, Cognitive Impairment Bias (Dhillon and Zakzanis, 2019).

Brainstem volume mediates seasonal variation in depressive symptoms: A cross sectional study in the UK Biobank cohort

Seasonal differences in mood and depressive symptoms affect a large percentage of the general population, with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) representing the most common presentation. SAD affects up to 3% of the world’s population, and it tends to be more predominant in females than males. The brainstem has been shown to be affected by photoperiodic changes, and that longer photoperiods are associated with higher neuronal density and decreased depressive-like behaviours. We predict that longer photoperiod days are associated with larger brainstem volumes and lower depressive scores, and that brainstem volume mediates the seasonality of depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 9289, 51.8% females and 48.1% males) ranging in age from 44 to 79 years were scanned by MRI at a single location. Photoperiod was found to be negatively correlated with low mood and anhedonia in females while photoperiod was found to be positively correlated with brainstem volumes. In females, whole brainstem, pons and medulla volumes individually mediated the relationship between photoperiod and both anhedonia and low mood, while midbrain volume mediated the relationship between photoperiod and anhedonia. No mediation effects were seen in males. Our study extends the understanding of the neurobiological factors that contribute to the pathophysiology of seasonal mood variations.