TY - JOUR
T1 - A structural equation modeling analysis of the relationships between depression, anxiety, and sexual problems over time
AU - Forbes, Miriam K.
AU - Baillie, Andrew J.
AU - Schniering, Carolyn A.
PY - 2016/10/12
Y1 - 2016/10/12
N2 - Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these relationships remains unclear. This study examined the relationship among symptoms of these disorders over time by comparing (a) a model that included causal relationships, (b) a model that accounted for change over time with a shared underlying factor (or latent liability) among all the disorders, and (c) a model that conceptualized sexual dysfunctions as unrelated to depressive and anxiety disorders over time. Participants (n = 1,012) completed online self-report measures of sexual dysfunctions and depressive and anxiety disorders across six time points at either weekly or monthly intervals. Models 1 and 2 provided equal best fit for men and women based on data collected four weeks apart, but there were no evident causal relationships in Model 1. Subsequent analyses using data collected one week and six months apart found Model 2 provided robust fit for women, but these data were not examined for men due to inadequate sample sizes. The results are consistent with a shared latent liability of internalizing psychopathology driving the change in these disorders over time, which provides a clear direction for an empirically driven nosology and for future research into transdiagnostic treatments.
AB - Sexual dysfunctions are related to depressive and anxiety disorders, but the nature of these relationships remains unclear. This study examined the relationship among symptoms of these disorders over time by comparing (a) a model that included causal relationships, (b) a model that accounted for change over time with a shared underlying factor (or latent liability) among all the disorders, and (c) a model that conceptualized sexual dysfunctions as unrelated to depressive and anxiety disorders over time. Participants (n = 1,012) completed online self-report measures of sexual dysfunctions and depressive and anxiety disorders across six time points at either weekly or monthly intervals. Models 1 and 2 provided equal best fit for men and women based on data collected four weeks apart, but there were no evident causal relationships in Model 1. Subsequent analyses using data collected one week and six months apart found Model 2 provided robust fit for women, but these data were not examined for men due to inadequate sample sizes. The results are consistent with a shared latent liability of internalizing psychopathology driving the change in these disorders over time, which provides a clear direction for an empirically driven nosology and for future research into transdiagnostic treatments.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84944909740&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00224499.2015.1063576
DO - 10.1080/00224499.2015.1063576
M3 - Article
C2 - 26488460
AN - SCOPUS:84944909740
SN - 0022-4499
VL - 53
SP - 942
EP - 954
JO - Journal of Sex Research
JF - Journal of Sex Research
IS - 8
ER -