scholarly journals Extraversion but not Depression Predicts Implicit Reward Sensitivity: Revisiting the Measurement of Anhedonic Phenotypes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott D. Blain ◽  
Tyler A. Sassenberg ◽  
Muchen Xi ◽  
Daiqing Zhao ◽  
Colin G. DeYoung

Recently, increasing efforts have been made to define and measure dimensional phenotypes associated with psychiatric disorders. One example is an implicit reward learning task developed by Pizzagalli et al. (2005) to assess anhedonia, by measuring participants’ responses to a differential reinforcement schedule. This task has been used in many studies, which have connected blunted reward response in the task to depressive symptoms, across clinical groups and in the general population. The current study attempted to replicate these findings in a large community sample and also investigated possible associations with Extraversion, a personality trait linked theoretically and empirically to reward sensitivity. Participants (N = 299) completed the reward-learning task, as well as the Beck Depression Inventory, Personality Inventory for the DSM-5, Big Five Inventory, and Big Five Aspect Scales. Our direct replication attempts used bivariate analyses of observed variables and ANOVA models. Follow-up and extension analyses used structural equation models to assess relations among latent reward sensitivity, depression, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. No significant associations were found between reward sensitivity (i.e., response bias) and depression, thus failing to replicate previous findings. Response bias and change in response bias showed significant positive associations with Extraversion, but not with Neuroticism. Findings suggest reward sensitivity as measured by this implicit reward learning task may be related primarily to Extraversion and its pathological manifestations, rather than to depression per se, consistent with existing models that conceptualize depressive symptoms as combining features of Neuroticism and low Extraversion.

2000 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Barbaranelli ◽  
Gian Vittorio Caprara

Summary: The aim of the study is to assess the construct validity of two different measures of the Big Five, matching two “response modes” (phrase-questionnaire and list of adjectives) and two sources of information or raters (self-report and other ratings). Two-hundred subjects, equally divided in males and females, were administered the self-report versions of the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ) and the Big Five Observer (BFO), a list of bipolar pairs of adjectives ( Caprara, Barbaranelli, & Borgogni, 1993 , 1994 ). Every subject was rated by six acquaintances, then aggregated by means of the same instruments used for the self-report, but worded in a third-person format. The multitrait-multimethod matrix derived from these measures was then analyzed via Structural Equation Models according to the criteria proposed by Widaman (1985) , Marsh (1989) , and Bagozzi (1994) . In particular, four different models were compared. While the global fit indexes of the models were only moderate, convergent and discriminant validities were clearly supported, and method and error variance were moderate or low.


2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 524-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Y. Miranda ◽  
Hector M. González ◽  
Wassim Tarraf

The purpose of this study was to assess the association between acculturation and functional health using multiple proxies of acculturation to examine explanatory pathways to clarify disparate health findings. A population-based cross-sectional, multistage probability sample from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly ( N = 3,050) was used. The dependent variables of neuropsychiatric function were depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]) and cognitive function (mini-mental state examination [MMSE]) examined in separate multivariable regression and structural equation models to examine the pathways between acculturation proxies and neuropsychiatric function. Findings indicated that three acculturation proxies were associated with cognitive function but none were associated with depressive symptoms. English proficiency fully mediated the associations between other acculturation proxies and cognitive function. The findings suggest that language plays a central role in the pathway between acculturation and health among Mexican-origin populations.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. JANSSON ◽  
M. GATZ ◽  
S. BERG ◽  
B. JOHANSSON ◽  
B. MALMBERG ◽  
...  

Background. The present study aimed to investigate the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences on depressive symptoms in the elderly.Methods. Depressive symptoms were assessed through the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression (CES-D) scale. The CES-D scale was administered to 959 twin pairs (123 female MZs, 90 male MZs, 207 same-sex female DZs, 109 same-sex male DZs and 430 opposite-sex DZs) aged 50 years or older (mean age 72 years). A dichotomous depressed state variable was constructed based on CES-D cut-offs and self-reported use of antidepressant medication. Structural equation models were fitted to the data to dissect genetic and environmental variance components.Results. The sex-specific heritability estimates for depressive symptoms were 14% for males and 29% for females and 23% when constrained to be equal for men and women. The prevalence of clinically significant depressive symptoms was 16% for men and 24% for women. Heritability estimates for the dichotomous depressed state measure were 7% for males and 49% for females in the full model and 33% when constrained to be equal.Conclusion. Our results suggest that depressive symptoms in the elderly are moderately heritable, with a higher heritability for women than men, although differences in heritability estimates were not statistically significant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-120
Author(s):  
Cristina Serrano ◽  
Paula Martínez ◽  
Sergio Murgui ◽  
Yolanda Andreu

Los resultados de investigación han mostrado la existencia de relaciones entre los Cinco Grandes factores de personalidad, Optimismo y Estrés Percibido. El objetivo del estudio es explorar, mediante modelos de ecuaciones estructurales, el posible papel mediador que se ha sugerido podría desempeñar Optimismo en esta relación. También,  se explora a través de un análisis multi-grupo la invarianza por sexo de los resultados. Un total de 611 adolescentes españoles completaron de forma anónima los cuestionarios BFQ, LOT-R y PSS. Optimismo se asoció positivamente asociado con los rasgos de personalidad y negativamente con Estrés Percibido. El Estrés se relacionó negativamente con Estabilidad Emocional, Extraversion y Responsabilidad y no mostró asociación alguna con Afabilidad ni con Apertura. Los análisis de mediación revelaron el papel mediador de Optimismo en la relación entre Estabilidad Emocional (mediación parcial), Extraversion y Responsabilidad y Estrés. Estos resultados no variaron por sexo. En conclusión, un perfil básico de personalidad caracterizado por Extraversión, Estabilidad Emocional y Responsabilidad favorecería el desarrollo de expectativas positivas de futuro que representan un predictor proximal de Estrés Percibido. El papel mediador del optimismo puede resultar relevante para el desarrollo de intervenciones focalizadas en reducir los niveles de estrés y, consecuentemente, mejorar el ajuste del adolescente. Research results have shown the existence of relationships between the Big Five personality factors, Optimism, and Perceived Stress. The aim of this study is to explore the possible mediating role that it has been suggested might play Optimism in this relationship. Structural equation models were conducted to examine the mediating role of Optimism.  A multi-group analysis was performed to verify whether the results varied by sex. 611 Spanish adolescents completed anonymously the measures of BFQ, LOT-R and PSS. The findings showed that Optimism was positively associated with the personality traits and negatively with Perceived Stress. Perceived Stress was in turn negatively related to Emotional Stability, Extraversion and Conscientiousness, while it was not correlated with Agreeableness and Openness. Mediation analysis revealed the mediating role of Optimism on the relationship between Emotional Stability (partial mediation), Extraversion, and Conscientiousness, and the Perception of Stress. These findings did not vary by sex. In conclusion, a basic personality profile characterized by Extraversion, Emotional Stability, and Conscientiousness would favor the development of positive future expectations that represent a proximal predictor for Perceived Stress. Optimism mediation may be relevant for the development of interventions focused on reducing stress levels and, consequently, to improve the adolescent's adjustment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 1095-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Grano ◽  
Fabio Lucidi ◽  
Cristiano Violani

ABSTRACTBackground:Caregiving for a relative with dementia has been associated with negative consequences for mental health. Self-efficacy has been shown to correlate negatively with depression but the long-term association between caregiver burden, caregiver self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms, remains still largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether different self-efficacy domains partially mediated the relationship between caregiving burden and depression.Methods:A three-wave design was used, with initial assessment and follow-ups three months later and one year later. One hundred seventy caregivers of patients with AD responded to measures of caregiver burden, caregiving self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation models.Results:The tested model provided support for the guiding hypothesis. Burden at the time of the first assessment (T1) significantly influenced depression one year later and the relationship between burden at time one and depressive symptoms one year later was partially mediated by self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts.Conclusions:The findings of the present study provide evidence that, along a considerable length of time, the effects of caregiver burden on depressive symptoms can be explained by the caregivers’ efficacy beliefs in controlling upsetting thoughts related to the caregiving tasks. Interventions for caregivers of patients with AD may help them in tackling negative thoughts about the caregiving role.


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 2583-2594 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. McAdams ◽  
F. V. Rijsdijk ◽  
J. M. Neiderhiser ◽  
J. Narusyte ◽  
D. S. Shaw ◽  
...  

BackgroundParental depressive symptoms are associated with emotional and behavioural problems in offspring. However, genetically informative studies are needed to distinguish potential causal effects from genetic confounds, and longitudinal studies are required to distinguish parent-to-child effects from child-to-parent effects.MethodWe conducted cross-sectional analyses on a sample of Swedish twins and their adolescent offspring (n = 876 twin families), and longitudinal analyses on a US sample of children adopted at birth, their adoptive parents, and their birth mothers (n = 361 adoptive families). Depressive symptoms were measured in parents, and externalizing and internalizing problems measured in offspring. Structural equation models were fitted to the data.ResultsResults of model fitting suggest that associations between parental depressive symptoms and offspring internalizing and externalizing problems remain after accounting for genes shared between parent and child. Genetic transmission was not evident in the twin study but was evident in the adoption study. In the longitudinal adoption study child-to-parent effects were evident.ConclusionsWe interpret the results as demonstrating that associations between parental depressive symptoms and offspring emotional and behavioural problems are not solely attributable to shared genes, and that bidirectional effects may be present in intergenerational associations.


2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gilbert ◽  
Mark W. Baldwin ◽  
Chris Irons ◽  
Jodene R. Baccus ◽  
Michelle Palmer

When things go wrong for people, those who are self-critical, compared to those who self-reassure, are at increased risk of psychopathology. However, little is known of the internal processes involved in self-criticism and self-reassurance, such as the ease of eliciting critical imagery, and the power, emotion and vividness of self-criticalness and self-reassurance. This study used a self-imagery task to investigate trait self-criticism and trait self-reassurance in relation to the ease and clarity of generating self-critical and self-reassuring images, and the felt power and emotion of self-critical and self-reassuring imagery. We also explored these in relation to depressive symptoms in students. Results suggested that trait self-criticism is associated with ease and clarity in generating hostile and powerful self-critical images, while trait self-reassurance is associated with ease and clarity of generating warm and supportive images of the self. Data analysis using structural equation models also suggests that difficulties in generating self-reassurance and compassionate images about the self with self-directed warmth, may also contribute to depressive symptoms. Thus self-critics may not only suffer for elevated negative feelings about the self but may also struggle to be able to generate self-supportive images and feelings for the self, and these difficulties could be a focus of therapeutic interventions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 225 ◽  
pp. 702-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. Pino ◽  
Karla Damus ◽  
Brian Jack ◽  
David Henderson ◽  
Snezana Milanovic ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory D. Webster ◽  
Jessica T. Campbell

This study examined Big Five and Dark Tetrad personality perception for 56 characters from the popular TV show Game of Thrones—and the book series that inspired it, A Song of Ice and Fire—by 309 fans recruited from three relevant subreddits. Specifically, we examined consensus—the extent to which multiple perceivers (participants) rate one or more targets (characters) similarly—and projection (a.k.a. assumed similarity)—the extent to which perceivers (participants) see targets (characters) as they see themselves. Using cross-classified structural equation models (CC-SEMs), we found that consensus correlations were significant for all Big Five and Dark Tetrad traits, ranging from .54 for narcissism to .83 for agreeableness (M = .66, SD = .10). Projection slopes were positive (range: 0.07 to 0.29; M = 0.15, SD = 0.06) and significant for all traits except conscientiousness and open-mindedness. Thus, raters reliably assumed that characters were similar to themselves on 7 of 9 traits. Exploratory sex-differences analyses showed no sex-of-character effects, but significant sex-of-perceiver effects for conscientiousness, open-mindedness, and Machiavellianism; women perceived characters to be higher on these traits than men. In addition, women (vs. men) rated themselves as higher on extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, but lower on Machiavellianism. We also present rankings for characters with the highest and lowest scores on each trait. Broadly, this work is important not only for understanding how our perceptions of personality generalize to fictional characters, but also how we use fiction characters—and our perceptions of their personalities—to better understand our own social world.


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