title: Self-discrepancy monitoring and its impact on negative mood: an experimental investigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The perception of self-discrepancies between the actual self and the ideal self has been defined as a cognitive risk factor for depression (Higgins, 1987). In this view, self-discrepancy monitoring (SDM) refers to the voluntary re-orientation of attention towards detecting discrepancies between ideal and actual selves, even in a positive situation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to explore the impact of SDM on levels of mood in the face of positive stimuli.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two clinical and two non-clinical samples were recruited from two different European countries (Italy and Romania). All participants were asked to focus on a past positive experience, and were then randomly allocated to one of two induction tasks. The experimental condition consisted of monitoring discrepancies between personal goals and the recalled positive experience, while the control condition consisted of observing what the participant was feeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings show that, after recalling a positive memory, SDM leads to a significant decrease in mood over a short period independent of the severity of depressive symptoms. This effect is partially mediated by the concurrent change in levels of brooding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-discrepancy monitoring in response to positive stimuli tends to lower current mood independent of the initial level of depressive symptoms, and seems to be a global trigger of emotional distress that does not refer only to a depressed cognitive style.
authors.affiliation: London South Bank University,UK,and Studi Cognitivi,Milano,Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.affiliation: University of Oradea,Romania.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decsei-Radu
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Milano,Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Modena, andUniversity of Pavia,Italy.
authors.forename: Ciara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Modena,Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Querci
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Modena,Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sgambati
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,and Servizio di Psicologia Clinica,Modena,Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rebecchi
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Milano,Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.affiliation: Studi Cognitivi,Milano,Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sassaroli
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D065187:Controlled Before-After Studies; D006224:Cricetinae; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011594:Psychometrics; D012383:Romania; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires