Commentary: Extending longitudinal network approaches – a reflection on Funkhouser et al. (2020)

The network approach facilitates an exploration of direct and potentially causal relations among symptoms of psychological disorders, yet most prior research utilizing this approach has done so using cross-sectional data. This commentary highlights the importance of longitudinal network approaches, as depicted in the study conducted by Funkhouser et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2020), and describes two possible key extensions of this approach: (a) accounting for risk markers, etiological mechanisms, and other nonsymptoms within longitudinal network models, and (b) continued exploration of longitudinal within-person networks with attention to personalized treatment applications. Inclusion of these extensions in future longitudinal network studies could provide new insights into the nature of psychopathology and inform the development of more precise screening tools and targeted, personalized interventions.