Exploring Effective Intervention Strategies for Depression as a Complex System: Targeted Interventions Through Network Simulations

Abstract

We conducted mathematical simulations to identify effective treatment options for depression. These simulations involved treatment component nodes that targeted specific symptoms within the depressive symptom network, examining how interventions for certain symptoms could improve the overall symptomatology. The results indicate that targeting a symptom with higher centrality can lead to significant improvement. Furthermore, while interventions targeting symptoms with the lowest centrality did not show any improvement, targeting multiple lower-centrality symptoms simultaneously may lead to an improvement in overall symptomatology. Insights from these simulations are expected to advance the understanding of effective intervention strategies for depression and the application of psychological networks in clinical settings.