Repetitive Negative Thinking As a Transdiagnostic Prospective Predictor of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Neurodiverse First-Semester College Students

McKenney, Erin E; Brunwasser, Steven M.; Richards, Jared K.; Day, Talena C.; Kofner, Bella; McDonald, Rachel G.; Williams, Zachary J.; Gillespie-Lynch, Kristen; Kang, Erin; Lerner, Matthew D.; Gotham, Katherine

doi:10.1089/aut.2022.0078

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Also as hypothesized, we observed main effects by autistic traits in our primary variables of interest, such that higher SRS-2 scores were related to higher ratings of depression and anxiety and lower social motivation and SSC at baseline. This and similar findings in previous work (McKenney, Brunwasser, et al, 2023) support the idea that high rates of depression among autistic adults may stem from greater prevalence of common risk factors for depression among the autistic population (e.g. less SSC, more negative rumination, as well as likely social risk factors such as increased risk of discrimination and trauma; Peterson et al, 2019), rather than from autism-specific risk factors-though both common and idiosyncratic mechanisms may be at play (see Smith & White, 2020 for examples of autism-specific risk factors for depression).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

“…a subset of this sample (McKenney, Brunwasser, et al, 2023), it is possible that predictors of mood are more likely to have lasting effects when they accrue over extended periods of time, rather than in discrete instances. Current evidence of a significant relationship between baseline SSC-in which participants report a general tendency toward unsatisfying friendships over the last month via the NIH Toolbox Friendship measure-and later biweekly mood may additionally suggest a longer-term relationship between social satisfaction and mood that persists across environments (including across social changes expected to be associated with starting college).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After eligibility was confirmed, participants completed a baseline questionnaire battery at the beginning of their semester, a brief survey twice per week throughout their first semester, and then an endpoint battery. Each survey battery is described in more detail below and in publications reporting on initial stages of data collection (McKenney, Brunwasser, et al, 2023;McKenney, Cucchiara, & Gotham, 2023).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Analytic methods were similar to that used in related research by the same study team (McKenney, Brunwasser, et al, 2023). In brief, generalized least squares regression (GLS; Pinheiro & Bates, 2000) with a first-order autoregressive correlation structure (AR 1 ) was used for all primary analyses using the rms (Harrell, 2022) and nlme (Pinheiro et al, 2022) packages in R. GLS AR 1 model assumes that repeated measurements from an individual would be correlated with one another, and the strength of the correlation weakens with increasing distance between the measurements (i.e.…”

Section: Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Satisfaction with social connectedness is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse first-semester college students

McKenney,

Richards,

Day

et al. 2024

Autism

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Social difficulties and mental health are primary behavioral health concerns in autistic young adults, perhaps especially during key life transitions such as entering college. This study evaluated how dissatisfaction with social connectedness may predict and/or maintain depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse, first-semester, undergraduate students ( N = 263; n = 105 with diagnosed or suspected autism). Participation included a baseline survey battery, a brief survey completed twice per week across 12 weeks, and an endpoint survey battery. Social dissatisfaction at baseline was prospectively associated with biweekly ratings of depression symptoms, when controlling for baseline depressive symptoms. Social dissatisfaction was synchronously related to elevated sadness, anhedonia, and anxiety throughout the semester. These relationships were generally consistent across levels of baseline social motivation; however, there was one significant moderation effect—the negative relationship between baseline social satisfaction and anxiety was strongest for more socially motivated participants. More autistic traits were related to lower social satisfaction at baseline and greater mood concerns across timepoints. In contrast, greater autistic traits at baseline were related to greater satisfaction with social connectedness throughout the semester. Results support ongoing efforts to address mental health in autistic college students by highlighting the importance of social satisfaction. Lay abstract How satisfied people feel with their social connections and support is related to mental health outcomes for many different types of people. People may feel less socially connected at some times in their life—like when they start college. Feeling disconnected from others could lead to depression or anxiety. The transition to college may be especially difficult for autistic students as they are more likely to have difficulties adjusting socially. In our study, we asked 263 college students to answer questions about their emotions and social satisfaction twice per week during their first semester of college. We found that students who reported being less satisfied with their social connectedness (either at the beginning or throughout the semester) tended to express more symptoms of depression and anxiety. This relationship between social satisfaction and anxiety was even stronger for people who had a strong desire for social interaction (i.e. were more socially motivated). Students with more autistic traits tended to report more mood concerns, and they also reported being less satisfied with friendships at the beginning of the semester. This information may help to support ongoing efforts to better address mental health in autistic college students by encouraging efforts to improve social satisfaction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Satisfaction with social connectedness is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse first-semester college students

McKenney,

Richards,

Day

et al. 2024

Autism

Self Cite

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“…Depression is often characterized by excessive pessimism toward external matters, which can trigger worry or even panic. Moreover, long-term experiences of insecurity can negatively impact mental health, leading to increased negativity and suppression (49). Hence, there may be a strong correlation between depression and sense of security.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depression and academic engagement among college students: the role of sense of security and psychological impact of COVID-19

Tang

2023

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundThe negative consequences of depression in college students have garnered global attention, especially in relation to academic achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic, which need critical assessment.AimThis study investigated whether a sense of security mediated the relationship between depression and academic engagement among college students during the pandemic and whether the moderating psychological impact of COVID-19 has a moderating effect on this relationship.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited 466 college students from 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China via the Internet and used established scales to measure depression, academic engagement, a sense of security, and the psychological impact of COVID-19. The mediating and moderating effects were tested using the bootstrap method.ResultsDepression was found to negatively influence academic engagement, with a sense of security partially mediating this relationship. Moreover, the psychological impact of COVID-19 was shown to have a moderating effect on this mediating process.ConclusionThis study could aid in crafting pertinent strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of depression on learning amid unexpected public health crises and foster better mental health among college students.

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“I Don’t Care if it Would Kill the Mood. I’m Going to Use My Words”: Perceptions and Use of Explicit Verbal Sexual Consent in Neurodiverse Undergraduate Students

McKenney,

Cucchiara,

Senanayake

et al. 2024

The Journal of Sex Research

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Repetitive Negative Thinking As a Transdiagnostic Prospective Predictor of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Neurodiverse First-Semester College Students

Cited by 8 publications

References 93 publications

Satisfaction with social connectedness is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse first-semester college students

Satisfaction with social connectedness is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse first-semester college students

Depression and academic engagement among college students: the role of sense of security and psychological impact of COVID-19

“I Don’t Care if it Would Kill the Mood. I’m Going to Use My Words”: Perceptions and Use of Explicit Verbal Sexual Consent in Neurodiverse Undergraduate Students

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