A comparative network analysis of eating disorder psychopathology and co-occurring depression and anxiety symptoms before and after treatment

Abstract

Findings suggest that symptoms related to shape and weight concerns and guilt are central ED symptoms, while physical symptoms, self-esteem, and feeling overwhelmed are links that may underlie comorbidities in EDs. Results provided some support for the validity of network approaches, in that admission networks conveyed prognostic information. However, the lack of correspondence between symptom reduction and change in network strength indicates that future research is needed to examine network dynamics in the context of intervention and relapse prevention.

Re‐conceptualization of anorexia nervosa psychopathology: A network analysis study in adolescents with short duration of the illness

“…The present findings are in line with previous studies which identified anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as interpersonal difficulties and ineffectiveness as the most central nodes in adult outpatients with mixed ED diagnoses (Solmi et al, ) and in an adult outpatient AN sample (Solmi et al, ). Another recent work also proved that negative affect symptoms, such as low self‐esteem, concentration difficulties, feeling overwhelmed and nervousness as well as shape and weight related concerns are central nodes in a network comprising a hospitalized adult ED population before and after treatment (Smith et al, ). Our study is the first to be carried out in an adolescent population with AN in the early phase of the illness (illness duration <3 years) whereas the above cited studies have been conducted in older populations with a longer illness duration.…”

“…One of these found that physical sensations were the bridge symptoms between bulimia nervosa and anxiety and depression (Levinson et al, ). Two studies demonstrated the connection between self‐esteem and shape and weight problems (Elliott et al, ; Smith et al, ). The remaining two works identified symptoms connecting social anxiety or PTSD symptoms and ED symptoms, respectively (Levinson, Brosof, et al, ; Vanzhula et al, ).…”

“…(Borsboom, ; Fried et al, ). Thus, given that network central symptoms may be difficult to treat (Smith et al, ) due to their high connectivity, symptoms driving the occurrence of comorbid psychopathology ( bridge symptoms) should be considered as potential intervention targets.…”

“…The YSR questionnaire was taken into consideration in our NA in order to evaluate the role of emotional and behavioral difficulties, which may play a pivotal role in adolescents with AN, besides the affective problems investigated in previous studies (Elliott et al, 2018;Levinson et al, 2017;Smith et al, 2019;Solmi et al, 2018). Previous studies indicated that the constructs for disruptive behaviors (attention problems, aggressive behavior, and delinquent behavior) resemble their DSM-IV counterparts (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder) (Hudziak, Copeland, Stanger, & Wadsworth, 2004;Kasius, Ferdinand, Berg, & Verhulst, 1997), which are not reported as significant AN comorbidities (Ulfvebrand, Birgegård, Norring, Högdahl, & von Hausswolff-Juhlin, 2015).…”

Using language in social media posts to study the network dynamics of depression longitudinally

“…This has been partially born out in the data; studies have shown that depressed patients have increased connectivity among depression symptoms compared to healthy controls [3][4][5] and the same is true for several other disorder groups [6][7][8][9]. Moreover, participants who go on to have persistent depression have more strongly connected networks at baseline than those who ultimately achieve remission [10,11] and the same appears to be true for eating disorder patients who undergo treatment [12]. Approaching a change in a system's state, e.g.…”