A Mechanistic Model of Symptom Dynamics: Implications for Statistical Network Analyses

= 23,283, HELIUS study), showing strong agreement and revealing that in-degree in the mechanistic network maps onto statistical centrality. Our aim is not to propose a definitive model of depression. Rather, the model provides both a plausible representation of symptom dynamics and an illustrative framework for linking mechanistic processes to statistical symptom networks, thereby clarifying how dynamic mechanisms can underpin diverse empirical findings across individuals and populations.