Anxiety risk from the synergistic effect of activities of daily living limitations and mania symptoms in mental disorder patients: evidence from network and path analysis

Mental disorders have become a global public health challenge, with the patient population continuously expanding. However, previous research has primarily focused on the general population, with insufficient attention given to this group. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the complex network relationships and path mechanisms between the activities of daily living limitations (ADLl), mania, and anxiety in patients with mental disorders. A survey was conducted with 1,050 patients from a mental health hospital in a southern province of China using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Mania Scale, and the Activities of Daily Living Disability Scale. The network analysis results indicate a complex interaction between ADLl, mania, and anxiety in mental disorder patients. ADLl plays both a strong predictive and a “mediating” role in the network structure. Further path analysis shows that ADLl can affect anxiety through the mediation of mania, and mania can influence anxiety through the mediation of ADLl, with mediation effects accounting for 33.2% and 16.2%, respectively. Additionally, gender and age play a moderating role in these pathways. In conclusion, these findings emphasize the need to focus on ADLl, mania, and anxiety in patients with mental disorders, as they are interrelated and exhibit differential path mechanisms across gender and age. Not applicable.