Understanding the protective effect of social support on depression symptomatology from a longitudinal network perspective.

Journal: BMJ mental health

Volume: 26

Issue: 1

Year of Publication: 2023

Affiliated Institutions:  Center for Global Health Equity, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China. Centre for Macau Studies, University of Macau, Macau, China. SAMRC Genomics of Brain Disorders Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, UK. WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Institut Pierre Louis d'Épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (iPLesp), Sorbonne Université and INSERM, Paris, Île-de- France, France. School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia. Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Department of Psychology, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey. School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Dissemination of Psychological Interventions, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Department of Basic, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castello de la Plana, Castellón, Spain. Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Center for Global Health Equity, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China bjh@nyu.edu.

Abstract summary 

Higher social support protects people from developing mental disorders. Limited evidence is available on the mechanism through which social support plays this protective role.To investigate the stress-buffering process of social support on depressive symptoms using a novel longitudinal dynamic symptom network approach.A total of 4242 adult participants who completed the first two waves (from May to October 2020) of the International Covid Mental Health Survey were included in the study. Cross-lagged panel network modelling was used to estimate a longitudinal network of self-reported social support, loneliness and depressive symptoms. Standardised regression coefficients from regularised cross-lagged regressions were estimated as edge weights of the network.The results support a unidirectional protective effect of social support on key depressive symptoms, partly mediated through loneliness: A higher and was associated with decreased (weight=-0.033) and symptoms (weight=-0.038). Support from others was also negatively associated with loneliness, which in turn associated with decreased (weight=0.086) and (weight=0.077). We identified a greater number of direct relationships from social support to depressive symptoms among men compared with women. Also, the edge weights from social support to depression were generally stronger in the men's network.Reductions in negative self-appraisal might function as a bridge between social support and other depressive symptoms, and, thus, it may have amplified the protective effect of social support. Men appear to benefit more from social support than women.Building community-based support networks to deliver practical support, and loneliness reduction components are critical for depression prevention interventions after stressful experiences.

Authors & Co-authors:  Li Gen G Li Yifan Y Lam Agnes Iok Fong AIF Tang Weiming W Seedat Soraya S Barbui Corrado C Papola Davide D Panter-Brick Catherine C Waerden Judith van der JV Bryant Richard R Mittendorfer-Rutz Ellenor E Gémes Katalin K Purba Fredrick D FD Setyowibowo Hari H Pinucci Irene I Palantza Christina C Acarturk Ceren C Kurt Gülşah G Tarsitani Lorenzo L Morina Naser N Burchert Sebastian S Patanè Martina M Quero Soledad S Campos Daniel D Huizink Anja C AC Fuhr Daniela C DC Spiller Tobias T Sijbrandij Marit M Hall Brian J BJ

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Klonsky ED, May AM, Saffer BY. Suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal Ideation. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2016;12:307–30. 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093204
Authors :  29
Identifiers
Doi : e300802
SSN : 2755-9734
Study Population
Men,Male
Mesh Terms
Male
Other Terms
COVID-19;adult psychiatry;depression & mood disorders
Study Design
Longitudinal Study,Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
England