Negative affective spillover from daily events predicts early response to cognitive therapy for depression.
This study evaluated the predictive role of depressed outpatients' (N = 62) affective reactivity to daily stressors in their rates of improvement in cognitive therapy (CT). For 1 week before treatment, patients completed nightly electronic diaries that assessed daily stressors and negative affect (NA). The authors used multilevel modeling to compute each patient's within-day relationship between daily stressors and daily NA (within-day reactivity), as well as the relationship between daily stressors and next-day NA (next-day reactivity; affective spillover). In growth model analyses, the authors evaluated the predictive role of patients' NA reactivity in their early (Sessions 1-4) and late (Sessions 5-12) response to CT. Within-day NA reactivity did not predict early or late response to CT. However, next-day reactivity predicted early response to CT, such that patients who had greater NA spillover in response to negative events had a slower rate of symptom change during the first 4 sessions. Affective spillover did not influence later response to CT. The findings suggest that depressed patients who have difficulty bouncing back the next day from their NA reactions to a relative increase in daily negative events will respond less quickly to the early sessions of CT.
Cohen
Lawrence H
LH
Department of Psychology, University of Delaware.
Gunthert
Kathleen C
KC
Department of Psychology, American University.
Butler
Andrew C
AC
Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research.
Parrish
Brendt P
BP
Department of Psychology, University of Delaware.
Wenze
Susan J
SJ
Department of Psychology, American University.
Beck
Judith S
JS
Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research.
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult