Mapping the relationship between anxiety, anhedonia, and depression

JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS

卷:221

Article

Winer, E. Samuel¹  Bryant, Jessica¹  Bartoszek, Gregory²  Rojas, Enrique^2,4,5  Nadorff, Michael R.^1,3  Kilgore, Jenna¹ 

[1] Mississippi State Univ, Dept Psychol, POB 6161, Mississippi State, MS 39762 USA

[2] Univ Illinois, Dept Psychol, 1007 W Harrison St M-C 285, Chicago, IL 60607 USA

[3] Baylor Coll Med, Menninger Dept Psychiat & Behav Sci, 1 Baylor Plaza BCM350, Houston, TX 77030 USA

[4] Northwestern Univ, Dept Psychiat, 710 N Lakeshore Dr,Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60611 USA

[5] Univ Chicago, Dept Pediat, 5841 S Maryland Ave,Suite L-400, Chicago, IL 60637 USA

关键词: Depressive;    Anxious;    Loss of interest;    Loss of pleasure;    Longitudinal;    Comorbidity;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jad.2017.06.006

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Introduction: Anxiety and depression are often comorbid conditions, but there is uncertainty as to how this comorbidity develops. Thus, in three studies, we attempted to discern whether anhedonia may be a key linking factor between anxiety and depression. Methods: Three studies asked participants about their symptoms of anxiety and depression: in Study 1, 109 participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, activity avoidance, and perceived enjoyability and importance of avoided activities; in Study 2, 747 participants completed measures of anhedonia, anxiety, depression, and defensiveness; in Study 3, 216 participants completed measures assessing the same constructs as in Study 2 at four time-points (ranging 11 months in span). Results: In Study 1, symptoms of anxiety and depression were positively related only in individuals who relinquished potential enjoyment due to their anxiety-related avoidance; in Study 2, the indirect effect of anhedonia helped explained how anxiety symptoms imparted risk onto depressive symptoms; and in Study 3, anxiety led to anhedonia and then depression over time and anhedonia led to anxiety and then depression at both 5 and 11 months. Limitations: The manuscript is limited by the use of a student sample in study 2, cross-sectional methods in studies 1 and 2, and reliance on self-ratings. Conclusions: Anxiety may devolve into depression through anhedonia, such that anxious individuals begin to lose pleasure in anxiety-provoking activities, which results in the development of other depressive symptoms.

【 授权许可】

Free