TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating potential effects of distress symptoms' interventions on suicidality
T2 - Analyses of in silico scenarios
AU - Junus, Alvin
AU - Yip, Paul S. F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2024/2/15
Y1 - 2024/2/15
N2 - Background: Complexity science perspectives like the network approach to psychopathology have emerged as a prominent methodological toolkit to generate novel hypotheses on complex etiologies surrounding various mental health problems and inform intervention targets. Such approach may be pivotal in advancing early intervention of suicidality among the younger generation (10–35 year-olds), the increasing burden of which needs to be reversed within a limited window of opportunity to avoid massive long-term repercussions. However, the network approach currently lends limited insight into the potential extent of proposed intervention targets' effectiveness, particularly for target outcomes in comorbid conditions. Methods: This paper proposes an in silico (i.e., computer-simulated) intervention approach that maps symptoms' complex interactions onto dynamic processes and analyzes their evolution. The proposed methodology is applied to investigate potential effects of changes in 1968 community-dwelling individuals' distress symptoms on their suicidal ideation. Analyses on specific subgroups were conducted. Results were also compared with centrality indices employed in typical network analyses. Results: Findings concur with symptom networks' centrality indices in suggesting that timely deactivating hopelessness among distressed individuals may be instrumental in preventing distress to develop into suicidal ideation. Additionally, however, they depict nuances beyond those provided by centrality indices, e.g., among young adults, reducing nervousness and tension may have similar effectiveness as deactivating hopeless in reducing suicidal ideation. Limitations: Caution is warranted when generalizing findings here to the general population. Conclusion: The proposed methodology may help facilitate timely agenda-setting in population mental health measures, and may also be augmented for future co-creation projects.
AB - Background: Complexity science perspectives like the network approach to psychopathology have emerged as a prominent methodological toolkit to generate novel hypotheses on complex etiologies surrounding various mental health problems and inform intervention targets. Such approach may be pivotal in advancing early intervention of suicidality among the younger generation (10–35 year-olds), the increasing burden of which needs to be reversed within a limited window of opportunity to avoid massive long-term repercussions. However, the network approach currently lends limited insight into the potential extent of proposed intervention targets' effectiveness, particularly for target outcomes in comorbid conditions. Methods: This paper proposes an in silico (i.e., computer-simulated) intervention approach that maps symptoms' complex interactions onto dynamic processes and analyzes their evolution. The proposed methodology is applied to investigate potential effects of changes in 1968 community-dwelling individuals' distress symptoms on their suicidal ideation. Analyses on specific subgroups were conducted. Results were also compared with centrality indices employed in typical network analyses. Results: Findings concur with symptom networks' centrality indices in suggesting that timely deactivating hopelessness among distressed individuals may be instrumental in preventing distress to develop into suicidal ideation. Additionally, however, they depict nuances beyond those provided by centrality indices, e.g., among young adults, reducing nervousness and tension may have similar effectiveness as deactivating hopeless in reducing suicidal ideation. Limitations: Caution is warranted when generalizing findings here to the general population. Conclusion: The proposed methodology may help facilitate timely agenda-setting in population mental health measures, and may also be augmented for future co-creation projects.
KW - Comorbidity
KW - In silico intervention
KW - Network analysis
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Suicidal ideation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179063231&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.11.060
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.11.060
M3 - Article
C2 - 37992776
SN - 0165-0327
VL - 347
SP - 352
EP - 363
JO - Journal of affective disorders
JF - Journal of affective disorders
ER -