Directionality of causal association between adolescent mental health and attention deficit: an empirical analysis using a hybrid network model

This study demonstrates that adolescent mental health influences attention deficits through multiple distinct causal pathways: ① interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, emotional instability, and hostility lead to inattention; ② anxiety, paranoia, depression, and hostility contribute to hyperactivity/impulsivity; ③ interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, depression, emotional instability, and sense of academic pressure result in oppositional defiant behaviors. These findings identify precise intervention targets for distinct dimensions of attention deficits in adolescents and provide mechanistic empirical evidence for understanding the multidimensional causal architecture through which psychological symptoms impact behavioral outcomes.