Investigating the Relationship  between Mental Health and  Fatigue: An Ecological  Momentary Assessment study

Introduction: University students are at particular risk for developing mental health problems due to life changes and age of onset. One variable that often influences mental health is fatigue. Prior research has found a strong association between fatigue and psychiatric disorders. The study investigated if the level of fatigue influences depression, anxiety, and stress or vice versa. Method: For 15 days and 4 times a day, students were asked questions on their smartphones regarding symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and fatigue. With this data, network models estimated the relationship between those variables. Results: Sample descriptives, mental health descriptives, time series data, and network models were made. The network models show that the strongest relationships between variables are between stress and anxiety and between depression items. The temporal network shows a bidirectional link between fatigue and having a bad outlook on the future. Discussion: In spite of...Show moreIntroduction: University students are at particular risk for developing mental health problems due to life changes and age of onset. One variable that often influences mental health is fatigue. Prior research has found a strong association between fatigue and psychiatric disorders. The study investigated if the level of fatigue influences depression, anxiety, and stress or vice versa. Method: For 15 days and 4 times a day, students were asked questions on their smartphones regarding symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, and fatigue. With this data, network models estimated the relationship between those variables. Results: Sample descriptives, mental health descriptives, time series data, and network models were made. The network models show that the strongest relationships between variables are between stress and anxiety and between depression items. The temporal network shows a bidirectional link between fatigue and having a bad outlook on the future. Discussion: In spite of its limitations, conclusions about the link between fatigue and outlook on the future can be drawn.Show less

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Investigating the Relationship between Mental Health and Fatigue: An Ecological Momentary Assessment study