On the validity of the centrality hypothesis in cross-sectional between-subject networks of psychopathology.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the network approach to psychopathology, psychiatric disorders are considered networks of causally active symptoms (nodes), with node centrality hypothesized to reflect symptoms' causal influence within a network. Accordingly, centrality measures have been used in numerous network-based cross-sectional studies to identify specific treatment targets, based on the assumption that deactivating highly central nodes would proliferate to other nodes in the network, thereby collapsing the network structure and alleviating the overall psychopathology (i.e., the centrality hypothesis).

Methods

Here, we summarize three types of evidence pertaining to the centrality hypothesis in psychopathology. First, we discuss the validity of the theoretical assumptions underlying the

SUBMITTER: Spiller TR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7549218 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature