Charles T Taylor1, Sarah L Pearlstein2, Murray B Stein3. 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States. Electronic address: c1taylor@ucsd.edu. 2. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, United States. 3. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social disconnection is a common and pernicious feature of anxiety and depressive disorders, yet is insufficiently addressed by our best available treatments. To better understand why people with anxiety and depression feel socially disconnected, we tested a positive and negative valence systems framework informed by research on how normative social connections develop and flourish. METHOD: Individuals seeking treatment for anxiety or depression (N = 150) completed measures of perceived social connectedness, positive and negative valence temperament, social goals, affect, symptoms, and life satisfaction. RESULTS: Feeling less socially connected was associated with diminished life satisfaction, beyond clinical symptom severity. Regression analyses revealed that both diminished positive valence and heightened negative valence temperament, and their corresponding motivational and affective outputs, were significantly and uniquely (with no significant interaction between them) associated with lower perceived connectedness. LIMITATIONS: Data was cross-sectional and based on self-report-limiting conclusions about causality and social disconnection processes at different units of analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding social disconnection through the lens of a positive and negative valence systems framework may inform transdiagnostic models and treatment approaches.
BACKGROUND: Social disconnection is a common and pernicious feature of anxiety and depressive disorders, yet is insufficiently addressed by our best available treatments. To better understand why people with anxiety and depression feel socially disconnected, we tested a positive and negative valence systems framework informed by research on how normative social connections develop and flourish. METHOD: Individuals seeking treatment for anxiety or depression (N = 150) completed measures of perceived social connectedness, positive and negative valence temperament, social goals, affect, symptoms, and life satisfaction. RESULTS: Feeling less socially connected was associated with diminished life satisfaction, beyond clinical symptom severity. Regression analyses revealed that both diminished positive valence and heightened negative valence temperament, and their corresponding motivational and affective outputs, were significantly and uniquely (with no significant interaction between them) associated with lower perceived connectedness. LIMITATIONS: Data was cross-sectional and based on self-report-limiting conclusions about causality and social disconnection processes at different units of analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding social disconnection through the lens of a positive and negative valence systems framework may inform transdiagnostic models and treatment approaches.
Authors: Martin P Paulus; Murray B Stein; Michelle G Craske; Susan Bookheimer; Charles T Taylor; Alan N Simmons; Natasha Sidhu; Katherine S Young; Boyang Fan Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2017-01-11 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Pim Cuijpers; Matthias Berking; Gerhard Andersson; Leanne Quigley; Annet Kleiboer; Keith S Dobson Journal: Can J Psychiatry Date: 2013-07 Impact factor: 4.356
Authors: Bethany E Kok; Kimberly A Coffey; Michael A Cohn; Lahnna I Catalino; Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk; Sara B Algoe; Mary Brantley; Barbara L Fredrickson Journal: Psychol Sci Date: 2013-05-06
Authors: Samantha N Hoffman; Michael L Thomas; Sarah L Pearlstein; Sanskruti Kakaria; Christopher Oveis; Murray B Stein; Charles T Taylor Journal: Behav Ther Date: 2021-05-01
Authors: Rosalind Watts; Hannes Kettner; Dana Geerts; Sam Gandy; Laura Kartner; Lea Mertens; Christopher Timmermann; Matthew M Nour; Mendel Kaelen; David Nutt; Robin Carhart-Harris; Leor Roseman Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2022-08-08 Impact factor: 4.415
Authors: Elisabeth Akeman; Evan White; Kate Wolitzky-Taylor; Jessica Santiago; Timothy J McDermott; Danielle C DeVille; Jennifer L Stewart; Martin Paulus; Charles T Taylor; Robin L Aupperle Journal: Behav Modif Date: 2021-07-12