Network Analysis of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Children and Adolescents/Analisis de Redes de Sintomas Internalizados y Externalizados en Ninos y Adolescentes

• Published in: Psicothema Vol. 35; no. 1; p. 66
• Main Authors: Sanchez-Hernandez, Milagros Ocalin, Holgado-Tello, Francisco Pablo, Carrasco, Miguel A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colegio Oficial De Psicologos Del Principado De Asturias 01-01-2023
• ISSN: 0214-9915
• DOI: 10.7334/psicothema2022.17

Background: Experiencing psychological problems during childhood and adolescence is common. However, the detection of behaviors as symptoms of psychopathologies requiring clinical diagnosis and treatment remains low. In order to advance understanding of psychological phenomena and particularly their behavioral manifestations, new theoretical and methodological perspectives such as network analysis are applied. Method: In the present study, we explore the dynamics of the symptoms of different internalizing, externalizing, and personal-contextual problems using network analysis. We estimate networks of regularized partial correlations, including measures of standard centrality, and the global and structural impact of symptoms on each network. Results: The results show that the syndromes we studied are activated through dynamics of symptoms that are strongly related to each other and act as intermediaries of potential psychopathological problems in children and adolescents (e.g., "feels sad," "worries," "won't talk," "nausea," "threatens others," "steals outside"). Centrality measures and impact coefficient ranges were strength (-2.39, 2.05), betweenness (-1.43, 3.38), closeness (-2.60, 2.23), and expected influence (-2.87, 2.13). Conclusions: The results suggest the need to explore attribute dynamics as well as symptomatic comorbidity between them. Keywords: Symptoms Psychopathology Children Adolescents Network analysis Antecedentes: La experiencia de problemas psicologicos durante la infancia y la adolescencia es comun. Sin embargo, la deteccion de conductas como sintomas de Psicopatologias que requieren diagnostico y tratamiento clinico sigue siendo infravalorada. Por ello, para evolucionar en la comprension de los fenomenos psicologicos considerando sus manifestaciones conductuales particulares, se aplican nuevas perspectivas teoricas y metodologicas como el analisis de redes. Metodo: En el presente estudio exploramos la dinamica de los sintomas de differentes problemas internalizados y externalizados y personales-contextuales aplicando el analisis de redes. Se estimaron redes de correlaciones parciales regularizadas que incluye medidas de centralidad estandar e impacto global y estructural de los sintomas de distintos sindromes. Resultados: Los resultados muestran que los sindromes se activan a traves de dinamicas de sintomas fuertemente relacionados con los demas y que actuan como intermediarios de potenciales problemas psicopatologicos en ninos y adolescentes (por ejemplo, "sentirse triste", "preocuparse", "negarse a hablar", "tener nauseas", "amenazar a los demas", "robar fuera"). Las medidas de centralidad y coefficientes de impacto oscilaron entre: fuerza (-2.39, 2.05), intermediacion (-1.43, 3.38), cercania (-2.60, 2.23) e influencia esperada (-2.87, 2.13). Conclusiones: Los resultados obtenidos sugieren la necesidad de explorar la dinamica multiconstructo, asi como la comorbilidad sintomatica entre ellas. Palabras clave: Sintomas Psicopatologia Ninos Adolescentes Analisis de redes