The interplay between cognitive risk and resilience factors in remitted depression: A network analysis

Background Individuals in remission from depression are at increased risk for developing future depressive episodes. Several cognitive risk- and resilience factors have been suggested to account for this vulnerability. In the current study we explored how risk- and protective factors such as cognitive control, adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation, residual symptomatology, and resilience relate to one another in a remitted depressed (RMD) sample. Methods We examined the relationships between these constructs in a cross-sectional dataset of 69 RMD patients using network analyses in order to obtain a comprehensive, data-driven view on the interplay between these constructs. We subsequently present an association network, a concentration network, and a relative importance network. Results In all three networks resilience formed the central hub, connecting perceived cognitive control (i.e., working memory complaints), emotion regulation, and residual symptomatology. The contribution of the behavioral measure for cognitive control in the network was negligible. Moreover, the directed relative importance network indicates bidirectional influences between these constructs, with all indicators of centrality suggesting a key role of resilience in remission from depression. Limitations The presented findings are cross-sectional and networks are limited to a fixed set of key constructs in the literature pertaining cognitive vulnerability for depression. Conclusions These findings indicate the importance of resilience to successfully cope with stressors following remission from depression. Further in-depth studies will be essential to identify the specific underlying resilience mechanisms that may be key to successful remission from depression.