Qi Zheng1,2,3, Mei Liao2,3, Bangshan Liu2,3, WenWen Ou2,3, WenTao Chen2,3, Jin Liu2,3, Yan Zhang2,3. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Xiamen Mental Health Center, Xiamen Xianyue Hospital, Fujian, China. 2. Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. 3. Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, China National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders (Xiangya), China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Technology Institute of Psychiatry, Mental Health Institute of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Abstract
Objective: To explore the emotional characteristics of counterfactual thinking (CT)-related emotion responses in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) via the "counterfactual thinking gambling task (CTGT)." Method: Twenty-five patients with MDD (the MDD group) and twenty-five healthy controls (the HC group) with matched demographic features were included. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and the 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. The counterfactual thinking gambling task was applied to assess the situation-focused- and behavior-focused-CT-related emotion responses in the MDD group and the HC group. Results: There was no significant difference in general demographic data between the two groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the HC group, the MDD group experienced higher levels of "disappointment" and lower levels of "joy" in the situation-focused CT paradigm (p < 0.05). However, the experience of "regret" and "relief" in the behavior-focused CT paradigm were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: MDD is associated with an impaired situation-focused-CT-related emotion responses, and is often accompanied by increased disappointment and decreased joy; however, behavior-focused-CT-related emotion responses are not significantly affected in MDD. This pattern may represent the characteristic CT-related emotion responses of MDD.
Objective: To explore the emotional characteristics of counterfactual thinking (CT)-related emotion responses in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) via the "counterfactual thinking gambling task (CTGT)." Method: Twenty-five patients with MDD (the MDD group) and twenty-five healthy controls (the HC group) with matched demographic features were included. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and the 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. The counterfactual thinking gambling task was applied to assess the situation-focused- and behavior-focused-CT-related emotion responses in the MDD group and the HC group. Results: There was no significant difference in general demographic data between the two groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the HC group, the MDD group experienced higher levels of "disappointment" and lower levels of "joy" in the situation-focused CT paradigm (p < 0.05). However, the experience of "regret" and "relief" in the behavior-focused CT paradigm were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: MDD is associated with an impaired situation-focused-CT-related emotion responses, and is often accompanied by increased disappointment and decreased joy; however, behavior-focused-CT-related emotion responses are not significantly affected in MDD. This pattern may represent the characteristic CT-related emotion responses of MDD.
Authors: Arielle Baskin-Sommers; Allison M Stuppy-Sullivan; Joshua W Buckholtz Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2016-11-28 Impact factor: 11.205