Depression as a systemic syndrome: mapping the feedback loops of major depressive disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Depression is a complex public health problem with considerable variation in treatment response. The systemic complexity of depression, or the feedback processes among diverse drivers of the disorder, contribute to the persistence of depression. This paper extends prior attempts to understand the complex causal feedback mechanisms that underlie depression by presenting the first broad boundary causal loop diagram of depression dynamics.

Method

We applied qualitative system dynamics methods to map the broad feedback mechanisms of depression. We used a structured approach to identify candidate causal mechanisms of depression in the literature. We assessed the strength of empirical support for each mechanism and prioritized those with support from validation studies.

SUBMITTER: Wittenborn AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4737091 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature