C G Davey1, C López-Solà2, M Bui3, J L Hopper3, C Pantelis4, L F Fontenelle5, B J Harrison4. 1. Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health,Melbourne,Australia. 2. Adult Mental Health Unit,Parc Taulí University Hospital,Sabadell,Spain. 3. Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne,Melbourne,Australia. 4. Department of Psychiatry,Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne,Melbourne,Australia. 5. Programa de Transtornos Obsessivo-Compulsivos e de Ansiedade,Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ),Rio de Janeiro,Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Negative mood states are composed of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and by a third factor related to stress, tension and irritability. We sought to clarify the nature of the relationships between the factors by studying twin pairs. METHOD: A total of 503 monozygotic twin pairs completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), an instrument that assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress-tension. We applied a recently developed twin regression methodology - Inference about Causation from Examination of FAmiliaL CONfounding (ICE FALCON) - to test for evidence consistent with the existence of 'causal' influences between the DASS factors. RESULTS: There was evidence consistent with the stress-tension factor having a causal influence on both the depression (p < 0.0001) and anxiety factors (p = 0.001), and for the depression factor having a causal influence on the anxiety factor (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a critical role for stress-tension in the structure of negative mood states, and that interventions that target it may be particularly effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.
BACKGROUND: Negative mood states are composed of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and by a third factor related to stress, tension and irritability. We sought to clarify the nature of the relationships between the factors by studying twin pairs. METHOD: A total of 503 monozygotic twin pairs completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), an instrument that assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress-tension. We applied a recently developed twin regression methodology - Inference about Causation from Examination of FAmiliaL CONfounding (ICE FALCON) - to test for evidence consistent with the existence of 'causal' influences between the DASS factors. RESULTS: There was evidence consistent with the stress-tension factor having a causal influence on both the depression (p < 0.0001) and anxiety factors (p = 0.001), and for the depression factor having a causal influence on the anxiety factor (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a critical role for stress-tension in the structure of negative mood states, and that interventions that target it may be particularly effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.
Authors: Shuai Li; Ee Ming Wong; Minh Bui; Tuong L Nguyen; Ji-Hoon Eric Joo; Jennifer Stone; Gillian S Dite; Pierre-Antoine Dugué; Roger L Milne; Graham G Giles; Richard Saffery; Melissa C Southey; John L Hopper Journal: Int J Obes (Lond) Date: 2018-05-17 Impact factor: 5.095
Authors: Shuai Li; Ee Ming Wong; Minh Bui; Tuong L Nguyen; Ji-Hoon Eric Joo; Jennifer Stone; Gillian S Dite; Graham G Giles; Richard Saffery; Melissa C Southey; John L Hopper Journal: Clin Epigenetics Date: 2018-02-09 Impact factor: 6.551