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The combined influence of cognitions in adolescent depression: biases of interpretation, self evaluation and memory

Orchard, F. and Reynolds, S. (2018) The combined influence of cognitions in adolescent depression: biases of interpretation, self evaluation and memory. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57 (4). pp. 420-435. ISSN 2044-8260

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To link to this item DOI: 10.1111/bjc.12184

Abstract/Summary

Objectives: Depression is characterised by a range of systematic negative biases in thinking and information processing. These biases are believed to play a causal role in the aetiology and maintenance of depression, and it has been proposed that the combined effect of cognitive biases may have greater impact on depression than individual biases alone. Yet little is known about how these biases interact during adolescence when onset is most common. Methods: In the present study adolescents were recruited from the community (n = 212) and from a child and adolescent mental health service (n = 84). Participants completed measures of depressive symptoms, interpretation bias, self evaluation and recall memory. These included the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, Ambiguous Scenarios Test for Depression in Adolescents, Self Description Questionnaire and an immediate recall task. The clinically referred sample also took part in a formal diagnostic interview. Results: Individual cognitive biases were significantly inter-correlated, and associated with depression severity. The combination of cognitive biases was a stronger predictor of depression severity than individual biases alone, predicting 60% of the variance in depression severity across all participants. There were two significant predictors, interpretation bias and negative self evaluation; however, almost all of the variance was explained by negative self evaluation. Conclusions: The findings support the interrelationship and additive effect of biases in explaining depression and suggest that understanding the way in which cognitive biases interact could be important in advancing methods of identification, early intervention and treatment.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Anxiety and Depression in Young People (AnDY)
Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Department of Psychology
Life Sciences > School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences > Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience
ID Code:77108
Publisher:Wiley

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