Mastery is central: an examination of complex interrelationships between physical health, stress and adaptive cognition, and social connection with depression and anxiety symptoms.

Background: Research has established the link between physical health, stress and cognition, and social connection with depression and anxiety. Nevertheless, an understanding of the comorbidity of depression and anxiety symptoms and their complex interrelationships with relevant factors remains still limited. This study investigated the complex pattern of interplay between depression and anxiety symptoms and pertinent physical, cognitive, and social factors and potential gender differences.

Methods: Using a sample of 600 middle-aged men and women, depression and anxiety as well as physical health, perceived stress and mastery, and social connection were assessed. The network structure of depression and anxiety symptoms and risk and resilience factors were characterized by examining interrelationships and the centrality indices of Strength and Bridge Strength. Gender differences were examined using the Network Comparison Test.

Results: Perceived stress and mastery were central bridge factors influencing comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms, and perceived stress, anhedonia, and mastery exhibited strong inter-connections to each other. The connections of physical health-anhedonia and sleep disturbance-irritability were stronger in men than in women, while social connection with family was linked to interpersonal problems only in women.

Conclusions: The results underscore that prevention and interventions targeting reducing perceptions of stress and promoting mastery would prevent onset or recurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms among middle-aged men and women. Engaging in behavioral activities to maintain physical health and ensuring adequate sleep could be particularly beneficial for men in reducing overall symptom severity.