TITLE:
Individual Pattern Analysis of Cognitive Appraisals Associated with Depressive Symptoms in Youth with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
AUTHORS:
Megan E. Baker, James W. Grice, Kaitlyn L. Gamwell, Caroline M. Roberts, John M. Chaney
KEYWORDS:
Pediatric IBD, Depression, Person-Centered Methods, Observation Oriented Modeling
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.16 No.5,
May
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: The stigmatizing nature and negative social sequelae of IBD are potential contributors to youth depressive symptoms. Indeed, two studies in particular [1] [2] found evidence supporting a mediation model in which IBD-stigma was indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through thwarted social belongingness. Although these investigations highlighted the role of stigma and social isolation in youth depressive symptoms, such aggregate-level results present interesting inferential challenges. Namely, despite statistical significance, these studies cannot tell us the number of youth for whom this mediation model actually applied. The present study reanalyzed data from these two samples utilizing person-centered pattern analysis methods to test the purported stigma → thwarted belongingness → depressive symptoms mediation model. Participants were 178 youth aged 10 - 18 with a confirmed diagnosis of IBD previously reported in Gamwell et al. and Roberts et al. Results revealed that although both stigma and thwarted belongingness were associated with depressive symptoms, only about half the participants in both samples could be traced through the mediation model. Findings highlight the group-to-person generalizability problem inherent in aggregate-level analyses and the potential misinterpretation of group-level data as representing the majority of respondents in a given study. Results also highlight the advantage of person-centered research methodologies that can advance individual-level insights and enhance the clinical meaningfulness of data. Future studies utilizing person-centered methods could provide medical and behavioral health professionals with guidance for tailoring intervention strategies to address the individual mental health needs of youth with IBD.