Factors influencing cognitive reactivity among young adults at high risk for depression in China: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Understanding the factors influencing cognitive reactivity (CR) may help identify individuals at risk for first episode depression and relapse and facilitate routine access to preventative treatments. However, few studies have examined the relationship between CR and depression in Asian countries. This study was performed to assess the current status of CR among Chinese young adults and explore influencing factors. Methods:A national cross-sectional online study using convenience sampling was conducted among 1597 healthy young adults in China (response rate: 93.94%) with a mean age of 24.34 (SD=5.76) years. Results:The mean CR score was 51.36±18.97 (range 0-130). Binary logistic regression showed that a low level of CR was associated with the following factors: high self-compassion, high social support, high resilience, high monthly household income, and living in a rural area, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.14 to 0.70. Young adults in full-time employment, experiencing poor sleep, with high neuroticism, who reported frequent sad mood, and who had a high intensity of negative life events had increased CR to depression, with ORs ranging from 1.18 to 6.66. The prediction probability of these factors was 75.40%. Causal relationships among the influencing factors and CR could not be explored. Conclusions:The self-reported CR levels among Chinese young adults were moderate. Enhancing self-compassion, resilience, and social support for young adults and reducing negative life events, neuroticism, and poor sleep may help decrease CR. These findings may help healthcare providers or researchers determine how to cultivate and improve the CR of young adults by establishing documented policies and/or improving intervention efficacies.In recent years, young adults aged 18 to 35 years are increasingly recognized as a population group significantly affected by depression [3]. It is estimated that approximately 25% of young adults experience depressive symptoms and 2.5% of these meet the criteria for a major depressive episode, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) major depressive disorder (MDD) criteria [4].Despite existing evidence-based treatments for major depression, it remains a chronic and recurrent illness, with 85% of people who experience a single episode experiencing another within 15 years [5].High rates of depression that remain undetected further enhance its debilitating effects, with over 72.3% of individuals with depression not even being aware of their problem [6]. Globally, young adults are often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or undetected compared to older adults, possibly due to the uncertainties (e.g., initiating the roles and responsibilities of adulthood) young people experience being accompanied by irritability and mood fluctuations [7]. Among those who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression, 10% to 35% experience episodes of low mood or subthreshold depression that significantly impair their quality of life. These alarming statist...

Cognitive reactivity among high‐risk individuals at the first and recurrent episode of depression symptomology: A structural equation modelling analysis

“…2020), self‐compassion, and social support (Huang et al . 2020). Besides, the levels of CR could also be affected by sociodemographic variables, such as body mass index (BMI) (Paans et al .…”

“…To reduce the high disease burden of depression globally, especially in China, we need to concerns the individuals vulnerable to depression, including the first‐episode and recurrent depression, and strictly perform the tertiary management policy of depression, that is, early detection, early diagnosis, and early treatment (Huang et al . 2020). Therefore, based on Teasdale’s (1998) DAH and literature reviews, we developed and tested first‐episode and recurrent depressive symptoms of the CR models (Fig.…”

“…Struijs et al (2013) indicated that negative life events interact with CR to predict depressive symptoms (Struijs et al 2013). For the factor associated with reduced CR, it was found that CR is negatively associated with resilience (Cladder-Micus et al 2018;Huang et al 2020), self-compassion, and social support (Huang et al 2020). Besides, the levels of CR could also be affected by sociodemographic variables, such as body mass index (BMI) (Paans et al 2016), depression status, and episode numbers (Elgersma et al 2015;Jarrett et al 2013).…”