The chain mediating role of social support and perceived stress on the relationship between depression severity and quality of life in patients with major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and debilitating mental illness that significantly impacts patients' health and quality of life. This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of social support and perceived stress in the relationship between depression severity and quality of life in patients with MDD. A total of 146 drug-naïve patients with MDD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) completed the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17), Quality of Life Scale-6 item (QOL-6), Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS), and Perceived Stress Scale-10 item (PSS-10). The results revealed significant associations among depression severity, social support, perceived stress, and quality of life. The HAMD-17 was negatively correlated with QOL-6 (p < 0.001) and SSRS (p = 0.04), whereas positively correlated with PSS-10 (p < 0.001). SSRS and PSS-10 also played a mediating role in the chain prediction model linking HAMD-17 to QOL-6 (β= - 0.1467, p < 0.001). Engaging in social interactions can bring some level of stress to individuals with depressive disorder, while also providing important social support. This not only helps alleviate the negative impact of depressive symptoms on their quality of life, but may also effectively reduce the psychological burden on individuals with depression, improving their overall well-being.