Dataset

The study aims to reveal the network structure of depression and find bridging connections between social support items and depression symptoms according to gender differences. A total of 730 participants were recruited from April 30 to October 01, 2024. The Nine-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and 10-Item Duke Social Support Index were used to measure depressive symptoms and social support, respectively. Network analysis was applied to identify central and bridge symptoms in both male and female samples. “Fatigue” emerged as the most central symptom in the depression symptom network for males, while “Depressed or sad mood” was the most central symptom in the network for females. For males and females, the critical bridges are “being able to talk about problems” and “being understood”, respectively. These findings clarified the central nodes within the depression network and identified key bridge nodes linking social support and depression, which may serve as promising targets for depression prevention and intervention.