Network analysis of suicide ideation and depressive-anxiety symptoms among adolescents

Abstract Background: The co-occurrence of depression and anxiety in adolescents is common and associated with suicide ideation. This study aimed to investigate the symptom-level relationship between suicide ideation and comorbidity of depression and anxiety. Methods: R was used for network analysis of depressive and anxiety symptoms from 716 adolescents (PHQ-9 ≥ 5 and GAD-7 ≥ 5). Participants were grouped into the suicide ideation group and the non-suicide ideation group. Network differences were compared between these two groups. Results: “Restlessness”, “Sad mood”, and “Trouble relaxing” were the most prominent central symptoms in this depressive-anxiety symptom network. “Restlessness”, “Nervousness”, and “Motor” were the bridge symptoms in this network. “Sad Mood” directly related to “Suicide Ideation” and explained the highest variance. The network structure was significantly different in network properties between adolescents who had suicide ideation and those who did not. “Restlessness” was the most central symptom in adolescents with suicide ideation. “Sad Mood” was the central and bridge symptom in adolescents with suicide ideation. Conclusion: “Restlessness” and “Sad Mood” might be interesting avenues for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents with suicide ideation. Trial registration: The study received ethical approval from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University on March 31, 2022.The number of Institutional Review Boards approval was 004.