Causal Factors of Anxiety and Depression in College Students: Longitudinal Ecological Momentary Assessment and Causal Analysis Using Peter and Clark Momentary Conditional Independence.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Across college campuses, the prevalence of clinically relevant depression or anxiety is affecting more than 27% of the college population at some point between entry to college and graduation. Stress and self-esteem have both been hypothesized to contribute to depression and anxiety levels. Although contemporaneous relationships between these variables have been well-defined, the causal relationship between these mental health factors is not well understood, as frequent sampling can be invasive, and many of the current causal techniques are not well suited to investigate correlated variables.

Objective

This study aims to characterize the causal and contemporaneous networks between these critical mental health factors in a cohort of first-year college students and

SUBMITTER: Huckins JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7315365 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature