Network analysis of multiple risk factors for mental health in young Colombian adults

Abstract

Background: A considerable proportion of young adults are affected by psychological distress at any time and an important fraction of them may develop mental disorders. Use of novel approaches for the analysis of data from multiple psychological scales might facilitate the identification of key indicators of mental health.

Aims: The aim of current study was to examine the relationship between multiple risk factors for mental illness, using a network analysis perspective.

Methods: A sample of 334 young Colombian adults (mean age = 21.7) were evaluated with validated scales measuring several psychosocial factors previously associated with mental health (e.g. worry, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, childhood abuse, alcohol related-problems and personality traits). A total of 24 nodes were included in the network analysis and topology, centrality, and stability of the networks were studied.

Results: Specific nodes that occupied critical positions in the network were identified, with worry, perceived distress and low energy being the most central nodes.

Conclusions: Our explorative findings suggest that a network analysis might identify risk factors that have a central role in the multiple dimensions of emotional health in young adults. These novel analyses could have important applications for the understanding of the psychological functioning affecting mental health.

Keywords:

• psychopathology
• mental health
• anxiety
• depression
• risk factors
• young adults

Supplementary material available online