Depressive Symptoms and the Experience of Pleasure in Daily Life: An Exploration of Associations in Early and Late Adolescence.
Although loss of pleasure (i.e., anhedonia) is one of the two core symptoms of depression, very little research has examined the relation between depressive symptoms and the experience of pleasure in daily life. This exploratory study in two population-based adolescent samples aimed to examine how depressive symptoms and anhedonia specifically were related to (1) the proportion and intensity of positive events, (2) mean and variability of positive affect (PA), (3) reactivity to positive events, and (4) reactivity to PA (i.e., whether PA elicits positive events). We used Experience Sampling to measure positive events and PA several times a day during 6 to 14 days in early (N = 284) and late (N = 74) adolescents. Results showed that depressive symptoms were related to a lower proportion and intensity of positive events, lower mean PA, and higher variability in PA regardless of sex and stage of adolescence. No clear evidence was found for differential reactivity to positive events or to PA. Anhedonia was not associated with most daily life experiences of pleasure. Our findings, though preliminary, suggest that although adolescents with many depressive symptoms experience less positive events and lower PA, they are able to enjoy pleasurable events to the same extent as individuals with fewer depressive symptoms.
Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CC 72, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands. g.h.van.roekel@umcg.nl.
Eeske
E
van Roekel
Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CC 72, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Elise C
EC
Bennik
Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CC 72, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Education and Research, Friesland Mental Health Care Services, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
Jojanneke A
JA
Bastiaansen
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Maaike
M
Verhagen
Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CC 72, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Johan
J
Ormel
Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Trimbos Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Rutger C M E
RC
Engels
Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, CC 72, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Albertine J
AJ
Oldehinkel
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D059445:Anhedonia; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057181:Pleasure; D012737:Sex Factors
Adolescence; Anhedonia; Daily life pleasure; Depressive symptoms; Experience sampling method