The network among participants without a history of child-hood trauma comprised 29 edges/connections. The strongest edge was between depressed mood (2) and suicidal ideation (9). The symptoms with the greatest connections to each other were depressed mood (2), loss of interest (1), and insomnia/hypersomnia (3). The symptoms with the greatest expected influence were depressed mood (2), fatigue/loss of energy (4), and loss of interest (1).

Pepperdine University

Networks of depressive symptoms (self-reported)

Wrobel, AL, Cotton, SM, Jayasinghe, A, et al. Childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder: A network analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2023; 147(3): 286-300. doi:10.1111/acps.13528

Childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in bipolardisorder: A network analysis

No childhood trauma

The network among participants with a history of any childhood trauma consisted of 34 edges/connections. The strongest was between loss of interest (1) and depressed mood (2). Depressed mood (2), feelings of worthlessness (6), and insomnia/hypersomnia (3) had the greatest connections. Depressed mood (2), loss of interest (1), and feelings of worthlessness (6) had the greatest expected influence.

Any childhood trauma

The networks among participants with a history of physical trauma, emotional trauma, and sexual abuse comprised of 32, 30, and 32 edges/connections. The symptoms with the greatest connections  were fatigue/loss of energy (4) for physical trauma, depressed mood (2) for  emotional  trauma, and fatigue/loss of energy (4) for sexual abuse. The symptoms with the greatest expected influence were depressed mood (2) for physical and emotional trauma and loss of interest (1) for sexual abuse.

Physical trauma, emotional trauma, and sexual abuse

There were no significant differences in strength/connection between the networks of people with and without a history of childhood trauma.

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