Network of positive affect and depression in older adults
(2026) In Journal of Affective Disorders 394(Part B).- Abstract
- Background
Depression in older adults poses significant health challenges, yet the protective role of positive affect remains understudied. This research examined the complex network of positive affect and depression in older adults using advanced network analysis techniques to identify potential targets for intervention.
Methods
Bayesian Gaussian Graphical Models and Directed Acyclic Graph modelling were used to analyse associations between ten positive affect variables and depression. Exploratory and confirmatory network analyses ensured stability and node predictability quantified variable influence. Stepwise linear regression confirmed whether specific positive affective variables identified in the networks predicted lower... (More) - Background
Depression in older adults poses significant health challenges, yet the protective role of positive affect remains understudied. This research examined the complex network of positive affect and depression in older adults using advanced network analysis techniques to identify potential targets for intervention.
Methods
Bayesian Gaussian Graphical Models and Directed Acyclic Graph modelling were used to analyse associations between ten positive affect variables and depression. Exploratory and confirmatory network analyses ensured stability and node predictability quantified variable influence. Stepwise linear regression confirmed whether specific positive affective variables identified in the networks predicted lower depression scores.
Results
Enthusiasm emerged as a key ancestral node with the highest predictability (R2 = 0.65), initiating cascades of positive affect. A primary pathway to depression was identified through feeling active (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79), with an indirect pathway from feeling enthusiastic via active (strength = 0.98, direction = 0.79) to depression (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79). Confirmatory longitudinal analysis showed that feeling active and enthusiastic consistently predicted lower depression scores (p < 0.001). The network structure remained stable across analyses.
Conclusions
Enthusiasm was identified as a central catalyst in the positive affect network, revealing clear pathways through which positive affect may protect against depression in older adults. Enhancing enthusiastic and active emotional experiences emerged as potential effective, nonpharmacological strategies for preventing and treating depression in older adults. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/15fe9e9a-91ff-4dd2-9113-4e0e925c96b6
- author
- Hopkins, Ella ; Leman, Patrick ; Cervin, Matti LU ; Numbers, Katya ; Brodaty, Henry ; Sachdev, Perminder and Medvedev, Oleg N.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-02
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Affective Disorders
- volume
- 394
- issue
- Part B
- article number
- 120529
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105021027746
- ISSN
- 0165-0327
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120529
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 15fe9e9a-91ff-4dd2-9113-4e0e925c96b6
- date added to LUP
- 2025-11-26 20:24:22
- date last changed
- 2025-11-27 07:55:35
@article{15fe9e9a-91ff-4dd2-9113-4e0e925c96b6,
abstract = {{Background<br/>Depression in older adults poses significant health challenges, yet the protective role of positive affect remains understudied. This research examined the complex network of positive affect and depression in older adults using advanced network analysis techniques to identify potential targets for intervention.<br/>Methods<br/>Bayesian Gaussian Graphical Models and Directed Acyclic Graph modelling were used to analyse associations between ten positive affect variables and depression. Exploratory and confirmatory network analyses ensured stability and node predictability quantified variable influence. Stepwise linear regression confirmed whether specific positive affective variables identified in the networks predicted lower depression scores.<br/>Results<br/>Enthusiasm emerged as a key ancestral node with the highest predictability (R2 = 0.65), initiating cascades of positive affect. A primary pathway to depression was identified through feeling active (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79), with an indirect pathway from feeling enthusiastic via active (strength = 0.98, direction = 0.79) to depression (strength = 1.00, direction = 0.79). Confirmatory longitudinal analysis showed that feeling active and enthusiastic consistently predicted lower depression scores (p < 0.001). The network structure remained stable across analyses.<br/>Conclusions<br/>Enthusiasm was identified as a central catalyst in the positive affect network, revealing clear pathways through which positive affect may protect against depression in older adults. Enhancing enthusiastic and active emotional experiences emerged as potential effective, nonpharmacological strategies for preventing and treating depression in older adults.}},
author = {{Hopkins, Ella and Leman, Patrick and Cervin, Matti and Numbers, Katya and Brodaty, Henry and Sachdev, Perminder and Medvedev, Oleg N.}},
issn = {{0165-0327}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{Part B}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Journal of Affective Disorders}},
title = {{Network of positive affect and depression in older adults}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2025.120529}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jad.2025.120529}},
volume = {{394}},
year = {{2026}},
}