High prevalence rates for depression, anxiety, and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are found in emerging adults. However, the consequences of mood, anxiety, and GI health on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are not well established. The biopsychosocial model and the gut-brain axis (GBA) explains the interactions of these psychological phenomenon on social and biological functioning. Following this theoretical framework, it was hypothesized that pathways between depression, anxiety, and HRQOL would be mediated by GI health. Data was cross-sectional. Undergraduates in psychology courses (N = 956) were recruited for course credit as part of ongoing research monitoring physical and psychological health of students at a major southeastern university. Participants were between 18 and 25 years old and measures were administered online. Pathways between depression, anxiety, and HRQOL were investigated using SEM analysis. The SEM was tested and specified for mediating effects. A well-fitting latent variable of GI health was created from the PROMIS-GI^® scales, advancing its utility. The mediation model demonstrated anxiety and depression have significant consequences for HRQOL in emerging adults. Direct pathways from GAD7 and PHQ9 scores were found between Physical and Mental HRQOL. Notably, the path from anxiety to Physical HRQOL was fully mediated by GI health. The direct path from depressive symptoms to Physical and Mental HRQOL was partially mediated by GI health, and anxiety to Mental HRQOL was partially mediated by GI health. Findings were consistent with the biopsychosocial model and GBA. The mediation model tested here has treatment and conceptual implications. Individuals presenting with anxiety or depression should be assessed for GI symptoms and conversely, those presenting with GI complaints should be evaluated for anxiety and depression. Research is needed to develop a scoring approach to combine the PROMIS-GI^® scales, so the latent construct of GI health may be used in related applications.

在新兴成年人中，抑郁，焦虑和胃肠道（GI）症状的患病率很高。但是，情绪，焦虑和胃肠道健康对与健康相关的生活质量（HRQOL）的影响尚不明确。生物心理社会模型和肠脑轴（GBA）解释了这些心理现象在社会和生物学功能上的相互作用。根据这一理论框架，假设抑郁症，焦虑症和HRQOL之间的途径将由胃肠道健康介导。数据为横断面。心理学课程的大学生（N = 956）被招募为课程学分，这是一项正在进行的研究的一部分，该研究监测了东南一所主要东南大学学生的身体和心理健康。参与者的年龄介于18至25岁之间，并且在线进行了测量。抑郁，焦虑和HRQOL之间的途径已通过SEM分析进行了研究。对SEM进行了测试并规定了介导作用。GI健康的良好装配的潜变量从PROMIS-GI创建^®扩展规模，提高其效用。中介模型表明，焦虑和抑郁对新兴成年人的HRQOL有重要影响。GAD7和PHQ9得分的直接途径是在身体和精神HRQOL之间发现的。值得注意的是，从焦虑到身体HRQOL的路径完全由胃肠道健康所介导。从抑郁症状到身体和心理HRQOL的直接路径部分由胃肠道健康引起，而对心理HRQOL的焦虑部分由胃肠道健康引起。研究结果与生物心理社会模型和GBA一致。这里测试的调解模型具有处理和概念上的含义。应对患有焦虑或抑郁的个体进行胃肠道症状评估，反之，应对患有胃肠道不适的个体进行焦虑和抑郁症评估。^®可以缩放，因此GI健康的潜在构造可用于相关应用程序中。