The Impact of Motivation to Experience Happiness on Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

The growing mental health concerns worldwide have highlighted the need to study depression as it heavily impacts overall well-being and life satisfaction. Depression research investigates genetic, environmental, and psychological factors for effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Meanwhile, motivation plays a crucial role in individual and organizational success and well-being, exploring intrinsic and extrinsic factors, cognitive and emotional processes, and social and environmental influences to optimize outcomes. This review paper examined the complex relationship between motivation and depression, focusing on the direct and indirect relationship between attitudes toward happiness and depression, relevant factors in the relationship, and the underlying neural mechanisms. The review discussed how different factors could contribute to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms through multiple pathways and the underlying neural mechanisms that may be involved, particularly asymmetries in alpha oscillations. All in all, the findings highlighted the complex relationship between motivation and depression and proposed potential intervention targets to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in susceptible individuals. One of the major limitations of available research is that some studies reviewed in this paper rely on self-report measures, which may be influenced by social desirability bias and other biases that could affect the validity of the results. Future research should explore using various methods to have a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between motivation and depression. Understanding the relationship between motivation and depression can lead to improved interventions, customized treatments, and preventive programs for children and adolescents.