The role of appraisal in dysphoric affect reactivity to positive laboratory films and daily life events in depression

Abstract

ABSTRACTHedonic deficits are linked to protracted dysphoric affect (DA) in depression, a disorder characterised by emotion context insensitivity (ECI). Recent findings from daily life studies contradict the ECI view. This study longitudinally investigated DA across laboratory and daily life contexts and the conditions associated with discrepancies in DA reactivity. Thirty-three healthy controls and 41 adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) provided responses to neutral and positive (a) films viewed in the laboratory and (b) daily events recorded over the course of three days using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodology. The current study reports on participants’ appraisals of films and events and their subsequent DA, both rated individually after each task and daily event. Despite large group similarities in appraisals of the positive film and life events, MDDs appraised the neutral film and neutral life events as less important (film: d = .58; event: η2 = .07) and less pleasant (film: d = .56; event: η2 = .18) relative to controls. While MDDs reported higher DA both in the laboratory and in daily life, they experienced larger decreases in DA during positive life events (B = −.77, SE = .28, t(73) = −2.70, p = .009), but not in response to the positive film relative to controls. Results indicate that higher pleasantness appraisals in daily life predicted larger decreases in DA among MDDs than controls (B = −.24, SE = .06, t(73) = −4.10, p < .001). Finally, lower pleasantness appraisals of a standardised neutral film predicted larger DA decreases among MDDs during positive life events (B = 1.28, SE = .46, t(73) = 2.77, p = .006). The implications of valence and relevance of context for DA reactivity and mood repair are discussed.