The role of psychological distress in the relationship between lifestyle and compulsivity: an analysis of independent, bi-national samples
The role of psychological distress in the relationship between lifestyle and compulsivity: an analysis of independent, bi-national samples
Background: poor mental health is a state of psychological distress that is influenced by lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, and physical activity. Compulsivity is a transdiagnostic phenotype cutting across a range of mental illnesses including obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders, and is also influenced by lifestyle. Yet, how lifestyle relates to compulsivity is presently unknown, but important to understand to gain insights into individual differences in mental health. We assessed (a) the relationships between compulsivity and diet quality, sleep quality, and physical activity, and (b) whether psychological distress statistically contributes to these relationships.
Methods: we collected harmonized data on compulsivity, psychological distress, and lifestyle from two independent samples (Australian n = 880 and US n = 829). We used mediation analyses to investigate bidirectional relationships between compulsivity and lifestyle factors, and the role of psychological distress.
Results: higher compulsivity was significantly related to poorer diet and sleep. Psychological distress statistically mediated the relationship between poorer sleep quality and higher compulsivity, and partially statistically mediated the relationship between poorer diet and higher compulsivity.
Conclusions: lifestyle interventions in compulsivity may target psychological distress in the first instance, followed by sleep and diet quality. As psychological distress links aspects of lifestyle and compulsivity, focusing on mitigating and managing distress may offer a useful therapeutic approach to improve physical and mental health. Future research may focus on the specific sleep and diet patterns which may alter compulsivity over time to inform lifestyle targets for prevention and treatment of functionally impairing compulsive behaviors.
Brierley, Mary-Ellen E
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Albertella, Lucy
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Rotaru, Kristian
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Destree, Louise
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Thompson, Emma M
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Liu, Chang
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Christensen, Erynn
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Lowe, Amelia
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Segrave, Rebecca A
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Richardson, Karyn E
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Kayayan, Edouard
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Chamberlain, Samuel R
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Grant, Jon E
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Lee, Rico S C
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Hughes, Sam
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Yücel, Murat
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Fontenelle, Leonardo F
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Brierley, Mary-Ellen E
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Albertella, Lucy
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Rotaru, Kristian
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Destree, Louise
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Thompson, Emma M
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Liu, Chang
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Christensen, Erynn
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Lowe, Amelia
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Segrave, Rebecca A
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Richardson, Karyn E
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Kayayan, Edouard
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Chamberlain, Samuel R
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Grant, Jon E
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Lee, Rico S C
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Hughes, Sam
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Yücel, Murat
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Fontenelle, Leonardo F
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Brierley, Mary-Ellen E, Albertella, Lucy, Rotaru, Kristian, Destree, Louise, Thompson, Emma M, Liu, Chang, Christensen, Erynn, Lowe, Amelia, Segrave, Rebecca A, Richardson, Karyn E, Kayayan, Edouard, Chamberlain, Samuel R, Grant, Jon E, Lee, Rico S C, Hughes, Sam, Yücel, Murat and Fontenelle, Leonardo F
(2021)
The role of psychological distress in the relationship between lifestyle and compulsivity: an analysis of independent, bi-national samples.
CNS Spectrums.
(doi:10.1017/S1092852921001048).
Abstract
Background: poor mental health is a state of psychological distress that is influenced by lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, and physical activity. Compulsivity is a transdiagnostic phenotype cutting across a range of mental illnesses including obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance-related and addictive disorders, and is also influenced by lifestyle. Yet, how lifestyle relates to compulsivity is presently unknown, but important to understand to gain insights into individual differences in mental health. We assessed (a) the relationships between compulsivity and diet quality, sleep quality, and physical activity, and (b) whether psychological distress statistically contributes to these relationships.
Methods: we collected harmonized data on compulsivity, psychological distress, and lifestyle from two independent samples (Australian n = 880 and US n = 829). We used mediation analyses to investigate bidirectional relationships between compulsivity and lifestyle factors, and the role of psychological distress.
Results: higher compulsivity was significantly related to poorer diet and sleep. Psychological distress statistically mediated the relationship between poorer sleep quality and higher compulsivity, and partially statistically mediated the relationship between poorer diet and higher compulsivity.
Conclusions: lifestyle interventions in compulsivity may target psychological distress in the first instance, followed by sleep and diet quality. As psychological distress links aspects of lifestyle and compulsivity, focusing on mitigating and managing distress may offer a useful therapeutic approach to improve physical and mental health. Future research may focus on the specific sleep and diet patterns which may alter compulsivity over time to inform lifestyle targets for prevention and treatment of functionally impairing compulsive behaviors.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 13 December 2021
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Funding Statement
M.E.B. is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship. L.D. is supported by an Australian Government RTP Scholarship and a Monash Graduate Excellence Scholarship. S.R.C.’s research was funded by a Wellcome Clinical Fellowship (110049/Z/15/A and 110049/Z/15/Z). He previously consulted for Promentis and receives a stipend for editorial work at Elsevier. R.S.C.L. was funded by an NHMRC Investigator Grant from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF; #APP1193946). M.Y.’s role on this article was funded through a National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship (NHMRC; #APP1117188). M.Y. also receives funding from other NHMRC schemes, Monash University, and Australian Government funding bodies such as the Australian Research Council (ARC), Australian Defence Science and Technology (DST), and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS). He has also received philanthropic donations from the David Winston Turner Endowment Fund, Wilson Foundation (which supported this study), as well as payments in relation to court-, expert witness-, and/or expert review-reports. L.F.F. is supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (# 302526/2018-8), Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (#E 26/203.052/2017), the D’Or Institute of Research and Education, and the David Winston Turner Endowment Fund. None of the above funding bodies were involved in the study design, management, data analysis and interpretation of results, or writing of the manuscript.
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Local EPrints ID: 455145
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/455145
ISSN: 1092-8529
PURE UUID: 12426da7-90d9-4cdf-880d-4d38dd726d6c
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Date deposited: 10 Mar 2022 18:54
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 07:09
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Contributors
Author:
Mary-Ellen E Brierley
Author:
Lucy Albertella
Author:
Kristian Rotaru
Author:
Louise Destree
Author:
Emma M Thompson
Author:
Chang Liu
Author:
Erynn Christensen
Author:
Amelia Lowe
Author:
Rebecca A Segrave
Author:
Karyn E Richardson
Author:
Edouard Kayayan
Author:
Samuel R Chamberlain
Author:
Jon E Grant
Author:
Rico S C Lee
Author:
Sam Hughes
Author:
Murat Yücel
Author:
Leonardo F Fontenelle
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