Computational mechanisms underlying social evaluation learning and associations with depressive symptoms during adolescence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Katherine Bone ◽  
Alexandra Claire Pike ◽  
Gemma Lewis ◽  
Glyn Lewis ◽  
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Sharp Increase ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
The Self ◽  
Learning Models ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
Prior Beliefs ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
School Based ◽  
Reinforcement Learning Models

There is a sharp increase in depression in adolescence, but why this occurs is not well understood. We investigated how adolescents learn about social evaluation and whether learning is associated with depressive symptoms. In a cross-sectional school-based study, 598 adolescents (aged 11-15 years) completed a social evaluation learning task and the short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. We developed and validated reinforcement learning models, formalising the processes hypothesised to underlie learning about social evaluation. Adolescents started the learning task with a positive expectation that they and others would be liked, and this positive bias was larger for the self than others. Expectations about the self were more resistant to feedback than expectations about others. Only initial expectations were associated with depressive symptoms; adolescents whose expectations were less positive had more severe symptoms. Consistent with cognitive theories, prior beliefs about social evaluation may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms.

Self-processing in relation to emotion and reward processing in depression

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Catherine Hobbs ◽  
Jie Sui ◽  
David Kessler ◽  
Marcus R. Munafò ◽  
Katherine S. Button
Keyword(s):  
Learning Task ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Implicit Associations ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Precise Relationship

Abstract Background Depression is characterised by a heightened self-focus, which is believed to be associated with differences in emotion and reward processing. However, the precise relationship between these cognitive domains is not well understood. We examined the role of self-reference in emotion and reward processing, separately and in combination, in relation to depression. Methods Adults experiencing varying levels of depression (n = 144) completed self-report depression measures (PHQ-9, BDI-II). We measured self, emotion and reward processing, separately and in combination, using three cognitive tasks. Results When self-processing was measured independently of emotion and reward, in a simple associative learning task, there was little association with depression. However, when self and emotion processing occurred in combination in a self-esteem go/no-go task, depression was associated with an increased positive other bias [b = 3.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24–5.79]. When the self was processed in relation to emotion and reward, in a social evaluation learning task, depression was associated with reduced positive self-biases (b = 0.11, 95% CI 0.05–0.17). Conclusions Depression was associated with enhanced positive implicit associations with others, and reduced positive learning about the self, culminating in reduced self-favouring biases. However, when self, emotion and reward processing occurred independently there was little evidence of an association with depression. Treatments targeting reduced positive self-biases may provide more sensitive targets for therapeutic intervention and potential biomarkers of treatment responses, allowing the development of more effective interventions.

scholarly journals Change in prevalence of self-harm from 2002 to 2018 among Norwegian adolescents

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 688-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita J Tørmoen ◽  
Martin Myhre ◽  
Fredrik A Walby ◽  
Berit Grøholt ◽  
Ingeborg Rossow
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hierarchical Logistic Regression ◽  
School Based ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Violent Acts ◽  
8Th Graders

Abstract Background Self-harm is prevalent among adolescents and associated with mental health problems and negative life-events. Few studies have examined changes in its prevalence related to these factors. This study explored whether changes in prevalence of self-harm among adolescents had occurred, and to what extent changes in associated factors may have contributed. Methods Two cross-sectional school-based surveys among adolescents (grades 8–10) in Norway were conducted in 2002 (N = 5842) and in 2017/18 (N = 29 063). Past year prevalence of self-harm and identical variables on risk factors was analyzed in hierarchical logistic regression to examine whether and to what extent changes in self-harm correlates could explain periodical change in prevalence of self-harm. Results An increase from 4.1% to 16.2% in self-harm prevalence was observed from 2002 to 2017/18. The increase was relatively larger among girls compared to boys and among 8th graders compared to 10th graders. Among the assessed risk factors for self-harm, depressive symptoms increased, while anti-social behavior, exposure to violent acts and drinking to intoxication decreased. The increase in depressive symptoms contributed to explain increase in self-harm. This contribution was outweighed by the decrease in other risk factors. Conclusions Self-harm prevalence increased 4-fold among Norwegian adolescents over a 15-year period. While exposure to several risk factors for self-harm changed substantially in this period, these risk factors could in sum not explain any of the increase in self-harm.

Emotional responses to social media experiences among adolescents: Longitudinal associations with depressive symptoms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Nesi ◽  
William A. Rothenberg ◽  
Alexandra Bettis ◽  
Maya Massing-Schaffer ◽  
Kara A. Fox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
School Based ◽  
Considerable Debate ◽  
One Year

Objective: The degree to which adolescent social media use is associated with depressive symptoms has been the source of considerable debate. Prior studies have been limited by a reliance on cross-sectional data and measures of overall “screen time.” This study examines prospective associations between adolescents’ emotional responses to social media experiences and depressive symptoms, and examines gender differences in these processes. Method: A school-based sample of 687 adolescents (48.6% girls; Mage = 14.3; 38.1% White, 29.4% Hispanic, 23.0% Black) completed measures of positive and negative emotional responses to social media experiences and depressive symptoms at two time points, one year apart. Results: Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with more frequent negative emotional responses to social media experiences one year later, whereas greater positive emotional responses to social media were associated with later depressive symptoms. Girls reported overall greater emotional responses to social media experiences, but gender did not moderate associations between these emotional responses and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of examining adolescents’ positive and negative emotional experiences in the context of social media use, and the ways in which these experiences intersect with depressive symptoms, so as to identify youth who may be most vulnerable to negative effects of social media use.

scholarly journals Impaired mentalizing in depression and the effects of borderline personality disorder on this relationship

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Rifkin-Zybutz ◽  
◽  
P. Moran ◽  
T. Nolte ◽  
Janet Feigenbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Multivariate Regression ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
The Self ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Regression Modelling

Abstract Background Mentalizing, the ability to understand the self and others as well as behaviour in terms of intentional mental states, is impaired in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Evidence for mentalizing deficits in other mental disorders, such as depression, is less robust and these links have never been explored while accounting for the effects of BPD on mentalizing. Additionally, it is unknown whether BPD symptoms might moderate any relationship between depressive symptoms and mentalizing. Methods Using multivariate regression modelling on cross-sectional data obtained from a sample of 274 participants recruited from clinical settings, we investigated the association between mentalizing impairment and depression and examined whether this was moderated by the presence and number of concurrent BPD symptoms, while adjusting for socio-demographic confounders. Results Impaired mentalizing was associated with depressive symptoms, after adjustment for socio-demographic confounders and BPD symptoms (p = 0.002, β = − 0.18). BPD symptoms significantly moderated the association between impaired mentalizing and depressive symptoms (p = 0.003), with more severe borderline symptoms associated with a stronger effect of poor mentalization on increased depressive symptoms. Conclusion Mentalizing impairments occur in depression even after adjusting for the effect of BPD symptoms. Our findings help further characterise mentalizing impairments in depression, as well as the moderating effect of BPD symptoms on this association.. Further longitudinal work is required to investigate the direction of association.

Characteristics of school-based health services associated with students’ mental health

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Denny ◽  
Hamish Howie ◽  
Sue Grant ◽  
Ross Galbreath ◽  
Jennifer Utter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Health Services ◽  
School Health ◽  
Cluster Randomized Trial ◽  
Well Being ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
School Based

Objective School-based health services (SBHS) have been shown to improve access to mental health services but the evidence of their effectiveness on students’ mental health is lacking. Our objective was to examine associations between variation in the provision of SBHS and students’ mental health. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative health and well-being survey of 8500 New Zealand high school students conducted in March–November 2012. Students’ mental health is related to data on school health services obtained from clinic leaders and clinicians from 90 participating high schools. Results After adjustment for socio-demographic differences in students between schools, increasing levels of services were associated with progressively lower levels of student-reported depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), emotional and behavioural difficulties (p = 0.004) and suicidality (p = 0.008). Services with greater levels of nursing hours (p = 0.02) and those that performed routine, comprehensive psychosocial assessments (p = 0.01) were both associated with lower levels of student-reported depressive symptoms. Greater levels of nursing hours and doctor hours were associated with lower self-reported suicidality among students. Conclusions Although a causal association between school-based health services and students’ mental health cannot be demonstrated, these findings support the benefit of such services and the need for a cluster randomized trial.

Are negative views of the self, world and future, mediators of the relationship between subjective social status and depressive symptoms?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Patrick Pössel ◽  
Tyler Wood ◽  
Sarah J. Roane
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Subjective Social Status ◽  
The Self ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Cognitive Triad ◽  
Negative View

Abstract Background: Elevated depressive symptoms are associated with impairments, reduced quality of life, and societal economic burden. A well-established stress-vulnerability model explaining depressive symptoms is Beck’s cognitive theory (Beck, 1976). An independent line of research demonstrated that a person’s perception of their status in comparison with others’ (subjective social status, SSS) is a stressor associated with depressive symptoms. Aims: Theory-driven research investigating the interplay of different factors associated with depressive symptoms opens the door to improve the lives of the affected individuals and to reduce the overall societal burden. This study’s aim was to examine if SSS can be integrated as a stressor into Beck’s theory, looking specifically at whether it impacts depressive symptoms through the individual components (self, world and future) of the cognitive triad. Method: In this cross-sectional study, 243 community college students (58.6% female; mean age 23.95 years) in the southern United States completed self-reports measuring SSS, negative views of the self, world and future, and depressive symptoms. Results: SSS is negatively associated with each view of the cognitive triad. SSS and views of the self and world are negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses displayed a significant direct effect between SSS and depressive symptoms, as well as two indirect effects via negative view of self and world. Conclusions: While further research is needed, therapists might benefit from our findings when tailoring their treatment to a client by considering their SSS and which negative view is particularly detrimental for this specific client.

scholarly journals Factors related to self-care activities adherence of older adults with diabetes

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenda Dionysio ◽  
Natália Gomes Vicente ◽  
Luiza Maria de Assunção ◽  
Nayara Paula Fernandes Martins Molina ◽  
Leiner Resende Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Blood Sugar ◽  
Geriatric Depression Scale ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
The Self ◽  
Cross Sectional

Diabetes mellitus treatment is complex and involves several activities. Its goal is to control the disease and prevent complications. The success of this treatment includes adherence to self-care. This study aimed at identifying factors related to self-care activities adherence in community older adults with diabetes. Cross-sectional, observational and analytical study with a quantitative approach to data, conducted with 140 older people. We used the following instruments: Mini-Mental State Examination for cognitive assessment, socio-demographic and clinical characterization instrument, Brazilian Functional and Multidimensional Assessment Questionnaire to verify the self-reported morbidities, Abbreviated Geriatric Depression Scale to investigate the presence of depressive symptoms and Diabetes Self-Care Activities Questionnaire to assess activities adherence related to self-management of people with diabetes. The results of this study indicated that self-care activities with higher adherence were: “taking the indicated number of diabetes pills” (6.6 ± 1.2), “taking insulin injections as recommended” (6.2 ± 2.0), “drying the spaces between the toes after wash them” (4.6 ± 3.2) and “following a healthy diet” (4.5 ± 2.7). The self-care activities with smallest adherence were: “performing specific physical activities (walking, swimming, etc.)” (0.9 ± 1.9), “performing physical activities for at least 30 minutes” (1.2 ± 2.2), “evaluation of blood sugar as times as recommended” (1.2 ± 2.3), “sweets intake” (1.3 ± 1.7) and “evaluation of blood sugar” (1.4 ± 2.3). Regarding smoking, 88.6% were not smokers. Factors related to self-care measures were: gender, indicating greater adherence of women, education level, and number of morbidities, suggesting that adherence to the feet care domain is directly proportional to education and number of morbidities. However, this same domain was inversely proportional to depression, indicating that there was greater adherence in those people without depressive symptoms. The factors associated with the adherence to self-care activities observed in this research contributed to the planning of strategies to prevent diabetes mellitus complications and promote improvements in the life and health of the older adults in the community.

Coping Style as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Deliberate Self-Harm

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Self Blame ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.

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