Positive Imagery Research Articles

Examining the Relationship Between Schizotypy and Self-Reported Visual Imagery Vividness in Grapheme-Color Synaesthesia.

Synaesthesia is a condition in which one property of a stimulus triggers a secondary experience not typically associated with the first (e.g., seeing achromatic graphemes can evoke the perception of color). Recent work has explored a variety of cognitive and perceptual traits associated with synaesthesia. One example is in the domain of personality, where higher rates of positive schizotypy and openness to experience and lower agreeableness have been reported in synaesthetes who experience color as their evoked sensation relative to typical adult controls. Additionally, grapheme-color synaesthetes have previously been reported to show elevated mental imagery compared to typical adults. Here, we aimed to further elucidate the relationship between personality, synaesthesia, and other cognitive traits. In Study 1, we examined self-reported schizotypy and self-reported visual imagery vividness in grapheme-color synaesthetes and typical adults. Our results partially replicated previous findings by showing that synaesthesia was associated with greater positive schizotypy and enhanced self-reported imagery vividness. The results also extend previous reports by demonstrating that differences in positive schizotypy and mental imagery vividness are not related in grapheme-color synaesthesia. In Study 2, we sought to build on prior work showing lower agreeableness and increased openness to experience in synaesthetes by examining whether grapheme-color synaesthesia is associated with other conceptually related traits; namely lower self-monitoring and increased sensation seeking. We did not find any differences between synaesthetes and controls on either of these traits. These findings are discussed in relation to potential factors that may contribute to the observed personality profile in grapheme-color synaesthesia.

Functional Imagery Training to reduce snacking: Testing a novel motivational intervention based on Elaborated Intrusion theory

Functional Imagery Training (FIT) is a new theory-based, manualized intervention that trains positive goal imagery. Multisensory episodic imagery of proximal personal goals is elicited and practised, to sustain motivation and compete with less functional cravings. This study tested the impact of a single session of FIT plus a booster phone call on snacking. In a stepped-wedge design, 45 participants who wanted to lose weight or reduce snacking were randomly assigned to receive a session of FIT immediately or after a 2-week delay. High-sugar and high-fat snacks were recorded using timeline follow back for the previous 3 days, at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks. At 2 weeks, snacking was lower in the immediate group than in the delayed group, and the reduction after FIT was replicated in the delayed group between 2 and 4 weeks. Frequencies of motivational thoughts about snack reduction rose following FIT for both groups, and this change correlated with reductions in snacking and weight loss. By showing that FIT can support change in eating behaviours, these findings show its potential as a motivational intervention for weight management.

Mental Imagery in Depression: Phenomenology, Potential Mechanisms, and Treatment Implications.

Mental imagery is an experience like perception in the absence of a percept. It is a ubiquitous feature of human cognition, yet it has been relatively neglected in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of depression. Imagery abnormalities in depression include an excess of intrusive negative mental imagery; impoverished positive imagery; bias for observer perspective imagery; and overgeneral memory, in which specific imagery is lacking. We consider the contribution of imagery dysfunctions to depressive psychopathology and implications for cognitive behavioral interventions. Treatment advances capitalizing on the representational format of imagery (as opposed to its content) are reviewed, including imagery rescripting, positive imagery generation, and memory specificity training. Consideration of mental imagery can contribute to clinical assessment and imagery-focused psychological therapeutic techniques and promote investigation of underlying mechanisms for treatment innovation. Research into mental imagery in depression is at an early stage. Work that bridges clinical psychology and neuroscience in the investigation of imagery-related mechanisms is recommended.

Fifteen to Twenty Seconds of Eye Movements Have No Effect on Believability of Positive Personal Verbal Statements: Results From a Working Memory Study

According to working memory theory, a task that taxes working memory during simultaneous focus on a memory will tend to reduce memory vividness and emotional intensity. Results have been found for both negative and positive memories. Some studies have shown the necessity of modality-specific tasks, with visual tasks producing greater deterioration of a visual memory, and auditory tasks reducing the quality of an auditory or verbal memory; other studies have reported cross-modality effects. Research has confirmed that eye movements similar to those in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy produce these effects on visual imagery. However, the effects of eye movements on positive verbal imagery remain unclear. This study tested the effects of eye movements on positive verbal statements. In two experiments, undergraduates performed 15–20 seconds of eye movements or 15–20 seconds of keeping eyes stationary while focusing on a statement of a positive relevant personality trait (e.g., “I’m persistent”). Results showed that 15–20 seconds of eye movements did not enhance or diminish participant’s belief in possessing the trait. Discussion focuses on methodological factors and calls for future research on the effect of eye movements on verbal material.

Be Happy in your Work: The Role of Positive Psychology in Working with Change and Performance

ABSTRACTThis narrative targets the role of happiness (subjective well-being) in change and performance in the workforce. Grounded within the paradigm of positive psychology, we draw on theory and research from several performance-related domains (including sport and physical activity) to describe the development of happiness in organizations and associated benefits to individuals and groups. Our review highlights the physical and mental health benefits of happiness, bidirectional associations between happiness and work-based performance (occupational success), and the contribution of individual differences (genetics and personality) to happiness and well-being. Moreover, we list a series of empirically guided techniques – often utilized in the domain of sport and performance psychology – that might be considered in the development of happiness in organizations. These include positive mental imagery, hypothetical thinking, cognitive reappraisal (and the development of a challenge state), physical activity, and writing-based interventions. We conclude by offering potential avenues for research inquiry as they relate to change and performance in organizations.

The brain mechanism that reduces the vividness of negative imagery.

The present study attempts to locate brain regions that are related to vividness control, a hypothesized mechanism that reduces the vividness of negative imagery by controlling memory retrieval and emotion processing. The results showed that BOLD response in the left posterior cingulate gyrus in the negative imagery condition, in which activation of vividness control mechanisms was considered to be strong, was greater than that in the positive imagery condition, in which the activation of control mechanisms was considered to be weak. Moreover, the activation of this region negatively correlated with the subjective vividness of negative imagery. These results support the idea that the posterior cingulate gyrus may be involved in the suppression of imagery generation. Several previous studies have suggested that the posterior cingulate cortex is involved in both memory and emotion processing. Therefore, the current results indicate that the posterior cingulate gyrus may function as the vividness control mechanism.

The Phenomenology and Generation of Positive Mental Imagery in Early Psychosis.

Theoretical models of depression and bipolar disorder emphasise the importance of positive mental imagery in mood and behaviour. Distressing, intrusive images are common in psychosis; however, little is known about positive imagery experiences or their association with clinical symptoms. The aim of the current study was to examine the phenomenology of positive imagery in early psychosis and the relationship between the characteristics of positive, future-oriented imagery and symptom severity. Characteristics, thematic content and appraisals of recent self-reported images were examined in 31 people with early psychosis. The vividness and perceived likelihood of deliberately generated, future-oriented images were investigated in relation to clinical symptoms. Eighty-four percent of participants reported experiencing a recent positive image. Themes included the achievement of personal goals, spending enjoyable time with peers and family, loving, intimate relationships and escape from current circumstances. The vividness and perceived likelihood of generated prospective imagery were negatively correlated with levels of depression and social anxiety. The relationship between emotional problems and the ability to imagine positive, future events may have implications for motivation, mood and goal-directed behaviour in psychosis. Everyday experiences of positive imagery may represent the simulation of future goals, attempts to cope or avoid aversive experiences or idealised fantasy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The majority of participants experienced a recent positive image with themes related to goal attainment and social relationships. Depression and social anxiety levels were correlated with the vividness of intentionally generated positive future-oriented images and their perceived likelihood. The assessment of positive imagery in early psychosis appears warranted and may provide insights regarding individual coping strategies, values and goals.

Inducing Expectations for Health: Effects of Verbal Suggestion and Imagery on Pain, Itch, and Fatigue as Indicators of Physical Sensitivity.

Research into placebo effects has convincingly shown that inducing positive outcome expectations can reduce pain and other physical sensations. However, the comparative effects of different expectation inductions, such as verbal suggestion or mental imagery, and their generic effects on physical sensitivity, to different sensations such as pain, itch, and fatigue, are still largely unknown. In the current study, we assessed the individual and combined effects of verbal suggestion and imagery on pain, itch, and fatigue as indicators of physical sensitivity in a randomized study design. Healthy participants (n = 116) were given an inert (placebo) capsule that was said to be effective for reducing physical sensitivity in either the majority (positive verbal suggestion) or the minority (control verbal suggestion) of users. Subsequently, they imagined either their best possible health (positive imagery) or a typical day (control imagery). Sensitivity to pain, itch, and fatigue was tested using a cold pressor test, histamine iontophoresis, and a bicycle test, respectively. Heart rate and skin conductance were recorded continuously. Results showed that positive verbal suggestion and imagery successfully induced positive expectations, but they did not affect physical sensitivity, as indicated by sensitivity to pain, itch, or fatigue, or concurrent physiological responses. These results could indicate that the specificity and concreteness of expectation inductions might be important for their applicability in the treatment of physical symptoms.Trial RegistrationNederlands Trial Register NTR3641

The role of mental imagery in non-clinical paranoia

Background & objectivesCognitive models of paranoia incorporate many of the processes implicated in the maintenance of anxiety disorders. Despite this, the role of mental imagery in paranoia remains under-researched. The current study examined the impact of a self-imagery manipulation in people with high non-clinical paranoia. MethodsWe used a mixed design with one between-subjects variable (type of self-imagery) and one within-subjects variable (time – pre and post imagery manipulation). Thirty participants with high trait paranoia were allocated alternately to a positive or negative self-imagery condition. Scripts were used to elicit positive and negative self-imagery. All participants completed self-report state measures of paranoia, mood, self-esteem and self-compassion. ResultsGroup by time interaction effects were found for each of the dependent variables. Positive imagery led to less state paranoia, anxiety and negative affect, and more positive affect, self-esteem and self-compassion, compared with the negative imagery group. LimitationsThis was a non-blind study, limited by allocation method and a brief time-frame which did not allow us to assess longevity of effects. We recruited a relatively small and predominantly female sample of people with high non-clinical paranoia. The study did not include a neutral control condition, a low paranoia comparison group, or a manipulation check following the imagery task. ConclusionsSelf-imagery manipulations may affect paranoia, mood and self-beliefs. If the findings are replicated with clinical groups, and maintained over a longer period, this would suggest that imagery-based interventions targeting persecutory delusions might be usefully examined.

Imagining a brighter future: The effect of positive imagery training on mood, prospective mental imagery and emotional bias in older adults

Positive affect and optimism play an important role in healthy ageing and are associated with improved physical and cognitive health outcomes. This study investigated whether it is possible to boost positive affect and associated positive biases in this age group using cognitive training. The effect of computerised imagery-based cognitive bias modification on positive affect, vividness of positive prospective imagery and interpretation biases in older adults was measured. 77 older adults received 4 weeks (12 sessions) of imagery cognitive bias modification or a control condition. They were assessed at baseline, post-training and at a one-month follow-up. Both groups reported decreased negative affect and trait anxiety, and increased optimism across the three assessments. Imagery cognitive bias modification significantly increased the vividness of positive prospective imagery post-training, compared with the control training. Contrary to our hypothesis, there was no difference between the training groups in negative interpretation bias. This is a useful demonstration that it is possible to successfully engage older adults in computer-based cognitive training and to enhance the vividness of positive imagery about the future in this group. Future studies are needed to assess the longer-term consequences of such training and the impact on affect and wellbeing in more vulnerable groups.

The effect of positive mood induction on reducing reinstatement fear: Relevance for long term outcomes of exposure therapy

While exposure therapy is effective in treating anxiety, fear can return after exposure. Return of fear can be understood through mechanisms of extinction learning. One form of return of fear is reinstatement, or, the fear that results from an unsignaled unconditional stimulus (US) presentation after extinction. Though the conditional response (CR; e.g., fear) typically reduces during extinction, the excitatory conditional stimulus (CS+) valence remains negative. The more negative the CS+ valence after the end of extinction, the greater the fear at reinstatement. The current study evaluated the degree to which positive mood induction (positive imagery training; PIT) compared to control (positive verbal training; PVT) before extinction a) decreased CS+ negative valence during extinction and b) reduced reinstatement fear. Compared to PVT, PIT a) increased positive affect, b) decreased post-extinction CS+ negative valence, and c) reduced reinstatement responding as measured by eye blink startle reflex (when shock was used at reinstatement) and self-report fear (regardless of reinstatement US type). Results suggest that increasing positive affect prior to exposure therapy could reduce relapse through reinstatement.

Use of Kampo Medicine in University Hospital

Purpose:Massage therapy has been shown to be efficacious in the postoperative setting and is routinely offered in our institution. The purpose of this study was to explore whether massage therapy combined with meditation would be more effective than massage therapy alone in women recovering from autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: Forty women who had undergone mastectomies for breast cancer and were scheduled to undergo reconstruction using autologous tissue were randomized to either massage therapy for 20minutes on postoperative days 13 (Group1) or massage therapy (20minutes) combined with meditation (an additional 15minutes) on postoperative days 1-3 (Group 2). Type of meditation used included paced breathing with a DVD for 15minutes prior to massage and positive imagery during massage. Outcome measures: Visual Analog Scales for stress, anxiety, relaxation, insomnia, alertness, fatigue, tension, pain, mood, and energy level (scores 0-10) prior to and after intervention on postoperative days 1-3 and at 3 weeks follow-up. Results: Of 40 accrued patients, 19 in each group finished the study. The mean age for all patients was 47.7+8.4 years with a range from 30 to 63. Preintervention and postinterventionmean total VAS scores assessed during days 1-3 improved significantly in both groups (p<0.001). However there was no significant difference in improvement between the 2 groups at day 1-3 post op and at 3 weeks follow-up. Satisfaction with the intervention measured on postoperative day 3 was high (very satisfied + satisfied 84% Group1; 89% in Group2) but not significantly different between the 2 groups (p= 0.63). Conclusion: In this pilot study the addition of meditation to already available massage therapy for the postoperative care of breast cancer patients undergoing autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy did not appear to add any measurable benefit. Contact: Dietlind Wahner-Roedler, wahnerroedler. dietlind@mayo.edu

Development of Clinical Decision Support System of Japanese Kampo Medicine

Purpose:Massage therapy has been shown to be efficacious in the postoperative setting and is routinely offered in our institution. The purpose of this study was to explore whether massage therapy combined with meditation would be more effective than massage therapy alone in women recovering from autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: Forty women who had undergone mastectomies for breast cancer and were scheduled to undergo reconstruction using autologous tissue were randomized to either massage therapy for 20minutes on postoperative days 13 (Group1) or massage therapy (20minutes) combined with meditation (an additional 15minutes) on postoperative days 1-3 (Group 2). Type of meditation used included paced breathing with a DVD for 15minutes prior to massage and positive imagery during massage. Outcome measures: Visual Analog Scales for stress, anxiety, relaxation, insomnia, alertness, fatigue, tension, pain, mood, and energy level (scores 0-10) prior to and after intervention on postoperative days 1-3 and at 3 weeks follow-up. Results: Of 40 accrued patients, 19 in each group finished the study. The mean age for all patients was 47.7+8.4 years with a range from 30 to 63. Preintervention and postinterventionmean total VAS scores assessed during days 1-3 improved significantly in both groups (p<0.001). However there was no significant difference in improvement between the 2 groups at day 1-3 post op and at 3 weeks follow-up. Satisfaction with the intervention measured on postoperative day 3 was high (very satisfied + satisfied 84% Group1; 89% in Group2) but not significantly different between the 2 groups (p= 0.63). Conclusion: In this pilot study the addition of meditation to already available massage therapy for the postoperative care of breast cancer patients undergoing autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy did not appear to add any measurable benefit. Contact: Dietlind Wahner-Roedler, wahnerroedler. dietlind@mayo.edu

Effect of Guided Meditation and Massage Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Autologous Tissue Reconstruction - A Pilot Study

Purpose:Massage therapy has been shown to be efficacious in the postoperative setting and is routinely offered in our institution. The purpose of this study was to explore whether massage therapy combined with meditation would be more effective than massage therapy alone in women recovering from autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: Forty women who had undergone mastectomies for breast cancer and were scheduled to undergo reconstruction using autologous tissue were randomized to either massage therapy for 20minutes on postoperative days 13 (Group1) or massage therapy (20minutes) combined with meditation (an additional 15minutes) on postoperative days 1-3 (Group 2). Type of meditation used included paced breathing with a DVD for 15minutes prior to massage and positive imagery during massage. Outcome measures: Visual Analog Scales for stress, anxiety, relaxation, insomnia, alertness, fatigue, tension, pain, mood, and energy level (scores 0-10) prior to and after intervention on postoperative days 1-3 and at 3 weeks follow-up. Results: Of 40 accrued patients, 19 in each group finished the study. The mean age for all patients was 47.7+8.4 years with a range from 30 to 63. Preintervention and postinterventionmean total VAS scores assessed during days 1-3 improved significantly in both groups (p<0.001). However there was no significant difference in improvement between the 2 groups at day 1-3 post op and at 3 weeks follow-up. Satisfaction with the intervention measured on postoperative day 3 was high (very satisfied + satisfied 84% Group1; 89% in Group2) but not significantly different between the 2 groups (p= 0.63). Conclusion: In this pilot study the addition of meditation to already available massage therapy for the postoperative care of breast cancer patients undergoing autologous tissue reconstruction after mastectomy did not appear to add any measurable benefit. Contact: Dietlind Wahner-Roedler, wahnerroedler. dietlind@mayo.edu

Influencing light versus heavy engagers of harmful behavior to curb their habits through positive and negative ad imagery

AbstractMass media advertising has increasingly been seen as an important vehicle to influence attitudes and behaviors on issues designed to enhance the well‐being of society overall. However, prior research shows mixed results on the ability of advertising to encourage substantial or long‐term changes in self‐destructive behavior. The current research provides a framework to reconcile previous findings and demonstrates that different psychological processes are occurring when trying to convince light versus heavy engagers to curb their potentially harmful behaviors.Validated across two contexts (texting while driving and excessive gambling), the present study demonstrates that ads containing positive imagery (as opposed to negative imagery) are more effective at influencing heavy engagers to limit their harmful behaviors. Heavy engagers in the harmful behavior seem to resist ads containing negative imagery and do not find them to be more credible or involving. Instead, they are more influenced to curb their harmful behaviors after seeing positive imagery containing characters and situations to which they can relate.On the other hand, light engagers of harmful behavior are more likely to be persuaded to limit their behaviors after exposure to advertising containing negative imagery. The negative imagery evokes perceptions of ad credibility and encourages individuals to think about the advertised problem and consequences. Both credibility and ad involvement are shown to be important mediators of ad effectiveness for light engagers, whereas relatability was not a significant mediator for this group. Implications for the design of effective public service announcements targeted toward these separate groups are discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Implicit Affect after Mental Imagery: Introduction of a Novel Measure and Relations to Depressive Symptoms in a Non-Clinical Sample

Mental imagery can critically influence our emotional state. In contrast to commonly used explicit measures, implicit measures are promising for objectively assessing automatic emotional processes beyond deliberate control. In two studies with non-clinical samples, we tested the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) to measure implicit affect induced by mental imagery. In a first study (N = 145), the implicit measure showed that mental imagery elicits significantly stronger negative affect than verbally processed stimuli (F(1, 144) = 3.94, p≤.05, η2p = 03). In Study 2 (N = 71), we refined the implicit measure and found that mental images can induce implicit affective reactions at least as strong as pictures. Moreover, implicit affect after positive imagery was negatively related to depressive symptoms (r = –.26, p&lt;.05) and explained incremental variance in depressive symptoms beyond explicitly assessed affect. Our studies suggest that the AMP represents a promising measure of implicit affect induced by mental images.

Thinking Back about a Positive Event: The Impact of Processing Style on Positive Affect.

The manner in which individuals recall an autobiographical positive life event has affective consequences. Two studies addressed the processing styles during positive memory recall in a non-clinical sample. Participants retrieved a positive memory, which was self-generated (Study 1, n = 70) or experimenter-chosen (i.e., academic achievement, Study 2, n = 159), followed by the induction of one of three processing styles (between-subjects): in Study 1, a “concrete/imagery” vs. “abstract/verbal” processing style was compared. In Study 2, a “concrete/imagery,” “abstract/verbal,” and “comparative/verbal” processing style were compared. The processing of a personal memory in a concrete/imagery-based way led to a larger increase in positive affect compared to abstract/verbal processing in Study 1, as well as compared to comparative/verbal thinking in Study 2. Results of Study 2 further suggest that it is making unfavorable verbal comparisons that may hinder affective benefits to positive memories (rather than general abstract/verbal processing per se). The comparative/verbal thinking style failed to lead to improvements in positive affect, and with increasing levels of depressive symptoms it had a more negative impact on change in positive affect. We found no evidence that participant’s tendency to have dampening thoughts in response to positive affect in daily life contributed to the affective impact of positive memory recall. The results support the potential for current trainings in boosting positive memories and mental imagery, and underline the search for parameters that determine at times deleterious outcomes of abstract/verbal memory processing in the face of positive information.

Positive imagery cognitive bias modification (CBM) and internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT): A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAccruing evidence suggests that positive imagery-based cognitive bias modification (CBM) could have potential as a standalone targeted intervention for depressive symptoms or as an adjunct to existing treatments. We sought to establish the benefit of this form of CBM when delivered prior to Internet cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for depression MethodsA randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a 1-week Internet-delivered positive CBM vs. an active control condition for participants (N=75, 69% female, mean age=42) meeting diagnostic criteria for major depression; followed by a 10-week iCBT program for both groups. ResultsModified intent-to-treat marginal and mixed effect models demonstrated no significant difference between conditions following the CBM intervention or the iCBT program. In both conditions there were significant reductions (Cohen׳s d .57–1.58, 95% CI=.12–2.07) in primary measures of depression and interpretation bias (PHQ9, BDI-II, AST-D). Large effect size reductions (Cohen׳s d .81–1.32, 95% CI=.31–1.79) were observed for secondary measures of distress, disability, anxiety and repetitive negative thinking (K10, WHODAS, STAI, RTQ). Per protocol analyses conducted in the sample of participants who completed all seven sessions of CBM indicated between-group superiority of the positive over control group on depression symptoms (PHQ9, BDI-II) and psychological distress (K10) following CBM (Hedges g .55–.88, 95% CI=−.03–1.46) and following iCBT (PHQ9, K10). The majority (>70%) no longer met diagnostic criteria for depression at 3-month follow-up. LimitationsThe control condition contained many active components and therefore may have represented a smaller ‘dose’ of the positive condition. ConclusionsResults provide preliminary support for the successful integration of imagery-based CBM into an existing Internet-based treatment for depression.

The Role of Mental Imagery in Depression: Negative Mental Imagery Induces Strong Implicit and Explicit Affect in Depression.

Mental imagery, seeing with the mind’s eyes, can induce stronger positive as well as negative affect compared to verbal processing. Given this emotion-amplifying effect, it appears likely that mental images play an important role in affective disorders. According to the subcomponents model of depression, depressed mood is maintained by both negative imagery (which amplifies negative mood) and less efficient positive imagery processes. Empirical research on the link between mental imagery and affect in clinical depression, however, is still sparse. This study aimed at testing the role of mental imagery in depression, using a modified version of the affect misattribution procedure (AMP) and the self-assessment manikin (SAM) to assess implicit (AMP) and explicit (SAM) affect elicited by mental images, pictures, and verbal processing in clinically depressed participants (n = 32) compared to healthy controls (n = 32). In individuals with a depressive disorder, compared to healthy controls, negative mental images induced stronger negative affect in the explicit as well as implicit measure. Negative mental imagery did not, however, elicit greater increases in explicitly and implicitly assessed negative affect compared to other processing modalities (verbal processing, pictures) in the depressed group. Additionally, a positive imagery deficit in depression was observed in the explicit measure. Interestingly, the two groups did not differ in implicitly assessed affect after positive imagery, indicating that depressed individuals might benefit from positive imagery on an implicit or automatic level. Overall, our findings suggest that mental imagery also plays an important role in depression and confirm the potential of novel treatment approaches for depression, such as the promotion of positive imagery.

Positive Imagery-Based Cognitive Bias Modification as a Web-Based Treatment Tool for Depressed Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Depression is a global health problem requiring treatment innovation. Targeting neglected cognitive aspects may provide a useful route. We tested a cognitive-training paradigm using positive mental imagery (imagery cognitive bias modification, imagery CBM), developed via experimental psychopathology studies, in a randomized controlled trial. Training was delivered via the Internet to 150 individuals with current major depression. Unexpectedly, there was no significant advantage for imagery CBM compared with a closely matched control for depression symptoms as a whole in the full sample. In exploratory analyses, compared with the control, imagery CBM significantly improved anhedonia over the intervention and improved depression symptoms as a whole for those participants with fewer than five episodes of depression and those who engaged to a threshold level of imagery. Results suggest avenues for improving imagery CBM to inform low-intensity treatment tools for depression. Anhedonia may be a useful treatment target for future work.