An experimental investigation of emotional reasoning processes in depression

Berle, D; Moulds, ML

An experimental investigation of emotional reasoning processes in depression

Berle, D

Moulds, ML

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2013, 52 (3), pp. 316 - 329
Issue Date:: 2013-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Berle, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4861-2220	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Moulds, ML	en_US
dc.date.available	2013-01-09	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2013, 52 (3), pp. 316 - 329	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0144-6657	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/117119
dc.description.abstract	Objectives. Cognitive models of depression emphasize how distorted thoughts and interpretations contribute to low mood. Emotional reasoning is considered to be one such interpretative style. We used an experimental procedure to determine whether elevated levels of emotional reasoning characterize depression. Methods. Participants who were currently experiencing a major depressive episode (n = 27) were compared with those who were non-depressed (n = 25 who had never been depressed and n = 26 previously but not currently depressed) on an emotional reasoning task. Results. Although there were some trends for depressed participants to show greater levels of emotional reasoning relative to non-depressed participants, none of these differences attained significance. Interestingly, previously depressed participants engaged in more non-self-referent emotional reasoning than never-depressed participants. Conclusions. Emotional reasoning does not appear to characterize mild to moderate levels of depression. The lack of significant differences in emotional reasoning between currently depressed and non-depressed participants may have been a consequence of the fact that participants in our currently depressed group were, for the most part, only mildly depressed. Non-self-referent emotional reasoning may nevertheless be a risk factor for subsequent depressive episodes, or else serve as a 'cognitive scar' from previous episodes. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	British Journal of Clinical Psychology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/bjc.12019	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Clinical Psychology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Analysis of Variance	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Cognition	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Depressive Disorder, Major	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Emotions	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Interview, Psychological	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Self Concept	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Students	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Task Performance and Analysis	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.title	An experimental investigation of emotional reasoning processes in depression	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	52	en_US
utslib.for	1701 Psychology	en_US
utslib.for	1702 Cognitive Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Graduate School of Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	52	en_US

Abstract:

Objectives. Cognitive models of depression emphasize how distorted thoughts and interpretations contribute to low mood. Emotional reasoning is considered to be one such interpretative style. We used an experimental procedure to determine whether elevated levels of emotional reasoning characterize depression. Methods. Participants who were currently experiencing a major depressive episode (n = 27) were compared with those who were non-depressed (n = 25 who had never been depressed and n = 26 previously but not currently depressed) on an emotional reasoning task. Results. Although there were some trends for depressed participants to show greater levels of emotional reasoning relative to non-depressed participants, none of these differences attained significance. Interestingly, previously depressed participants engaged in more non-self-referent emotional reasoning than never-depressed participants. Conclusions. Emotional reasoning does not appear to characterize mild to moderate levels of depression. The lack of significant differences in emotional reasoning between currently depressed and non-depressed participants may have been a consequence of the fact that participants in our currently depressed group were, for the most part, only mildly depressed. Non-self-referent emotional reasoning may nevertheless be a risk factor for subsequent depressive episodes, or else serve as a 'cognitive scar' from previous episodes. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/117119