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Behavioral activation system moderates self-referent processing following recovery from depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 January 2013

K. Kircanski ,
H. Mazur  and
I. H. Gotlib
K. Kircanski*
Affiliation:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
H. Mazur
Affiliation:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
I. H. Gotlib
Affiliation:
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
*
*Address for correspondence: K. Kircanski, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Jordan Hall, Building 420, Stanford, CA 94305-2130, USA. (Email: katharina.kircanski@stanford.edu)
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Abstract

Background

Previous research has implicated the behavioral activation system (BAS) in depression. The relationship of BAS functioning to aspects of cognitive vulnerability to depression, however, is not known.

Method

The present study investigated associations among level of BAS functioning and the encoding and recall of positive and negative self-referent information in currently non-depressed participants with a history of recurrent major depression (recovered; RMD) and in never-depressed control participants (CTL). Participants completed self-report measures of levels of BAS and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) functioning. Following a negative mood induction, participants were presented with a series of positive and negative adjectives; they indicated which words described them and later recalled as many of the words as they were able.

Results

The relationship of BAS functioning to self-referent processing was dependent on participant group. Although lower BAS reward responsivity was associated with the endorsement and recall of fewer positive words across groups, the magnitude of these associations was stronger, and was only significant, within the RMD group. Furthermore, only for RMD participants was lower BAS reward responsivity associated with the endorsement of more negative words. These effects were not accounted for by depressive or anxiety symptoms, current mood, or level of BIS functioning.

Conclusions

These results indicate that BAS functioning may be distinctively linked to negatively biased self-referent processing, one facet of cognitive vulnerability to depression, in individuals with a history of major depressive disorder. Enhancing BAS functioning may be important in buffering cognitive vulnerability to depression.

Keywords

Behavioral activation systemcognitive processingdepressionmemoryremission
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 43 , Issue 9 , September 2013 , pp. 1909 - 1919
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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