What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Depression (n=222). Primary outcome: Odds of depression associated with psychosocial stress and BMI (OR 3.47, 95% CI 1.96-6.15, p=<0.001).

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study investigates how various types of psychosocial stress and BMI relate to depression risk.

March 16, 2026Open Access

A cross-sectional study of multidimensional psychosocial stress and depression risk

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Family stress was associated with a 3.47-fold higher odds of depression compared to no family stress in individuals, with a 95% CI of 1.96 to 6.15.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

This study investigates how various types of psychosocial stress and BMI relate to depression risk.

Key Result

Family stress was associated with a 3.47-fold higher odds of depression compared to no family stress in individuals, with a 95% CI of 1.96 to 6.15.

Key Points

This study investigates how various types of psychosocial stress and BMI relate to depression risk.
Cross-sectional design with 222 participants
Questionnaires on depression, psychosocial stress, and BMI
Multivariable logistic regression for analysis
Exploratory subgroup analyses by age and gender
Family stress is associated with increased depression odds (OR = 3.47)
Academic stress correlates with higher depression odds (OR = 1.96)
Interpersonal stress linked to greater depression odds (OR = 2.34)
Higher BMI is associated with lower depression odds (OR = 0.90)
Variations in associations found in subgroup analyses

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=222)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Does exposure to multidimensional psychosocial stress and varying BMI affect the risk of depression in a general cohort?

Population

222 participants (123 with depression, 99 controls), mean age 22.91, 66.22% female, based in China. Key inclusion: BDI-II score ≥ 14 for depression group, BDI-II score < 14 and no history of depression for control group.

Intervention

Exposure to multidimensional psychosocial stress (family, work, financial, academic, interpersonal, emotional) and varying Body Mass Index (BMI)

Comparator

Absence of specific psychosocial stressors and lower Body Mass Index (BMI)

Outcome

Depression risk assessed via Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score ≥ 14patient reported

Family, academic, and interpersonal stress are independently associated with higher depression risk, while higher BMI showed a counterintuitive inverse association that requires further investigation regarding medication confounders.

Main Result

Effect estimate: OR 3.47 (95% CI 1.96-6.15)

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
Sample size may limit statistical power for subgroup examinations.
Overfitting risk due to examining multiple psychosocial stressors and covariates.

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional associations of multidimensional psychosocial stress and body mass index (BMI) with depression risk. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 222 participants (123 with depression, 99 controls) completed questionnaires assessing depression (BDI-II), six domains of psychosocial stress (family, work, financial, academic, interpersonal, emotional), BMI, and lifestyle factors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine independent associations, with exploratory subgroup analyses by age and gender. Results Multivariate analysis indicates that, family stress (OR = 3.47, 95% CI: 1.96–6.15), academic stress (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.14–3.38), and interpersonal stress (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.36–4.03) were independently associated with higher odds of depression. Higher BMI was associated with lower odds of depression (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85–0.96); however, this inverse association may be confounded by unmeasured factors such as antidepressant use and should be interpreted cautiously. An extreme association with alcohol abstinence (OR = 0.05) was based on a very small subgroup ( n = 14) and requires cautious interpretation. Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested variations in these associations. Conclusion Specific psychosocial stressors are associated with depression risk in this sample. The counterintuitive finding regarding BMI warrants investigation in studies controlling for medication use. The subgroup findings are preliminary and require replication in larger cohorts.

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