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‘The risks of playing it safe’: a prospective longitudinal study of response to reward in the adolescent offspring of depressed parents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2012

A. Rawal ,
S. Collishaw ,
A. Thapar  and
F. Rice
A. Rawal*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK
S. Collishaw
Affiliation:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, Cardiff University, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, UK
A. Thapar
Affiliation:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology, Cardiff University, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, UK
F. Rice*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: A. Rawal, Ph.D., Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK. (Email: a.rawal@ucl.ac.uk) [A. Rawal]
(Email: f.rice@ucl.ac.uk) [F. Rice]
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Abstract

Background

Alterations in reward processing may represent an early vulnerability factor for the development of depressive disorder. Depression in adults is associated with reward hyposensitivity and diminished reward seeking may also be a feature of depression in children and adolescents. We examined the role of reward responding in predicting depressive symptoms, functional impairment and new-onset depressive disorder over time in the adolescent offspring of depressed parents. In addition, we examined group differences in reward responding between currently depressed adolescents, psychiatric and healthy controls, and also cross-sectional associations between reward responding and measures of positive social/environmental functioning.

Method

We conducted a 1-year longitudinal study of adolescents at familial risk for depression (n = 197; age range 10–18 years). Reward responding and self-reported social/environmental functioning were assessed at baseline. Clinical interviews determined diagnostic status at baseline and at follow-up. Reports of depressive symptoms and functional impairment were also obtained.

Results

Low reward seeking predicted depressive symptoms and new-onset depressive disorder at the 1-year follow-up in individuals free from depressive disorder at baseline, independently of baseline depressive symptoms. Reduced reward seeking also predicted functional impairment. Adolescents with current depressive disorder were less reward seeking (i.e. bet less at favourable odds) than adolescents free from psychopathology and those with externalizing disorders. Reward seeking showed positive associations with social and environmental functioning (extra-curricular activities, humour, friendships) and was negatively associated with anhedonia. There were no group differences in impulsivity, decision making or psychomotor slowing.

Conclusions

Reward seeking predicts depression severity and onset in adolescents at elevated risk of depression. Adaptive reward responses may be amenable to change through modification of existing preventive psychological interventions.

Keywords

Adolescenceanhedonia depressionimpairmentimpulsivitypositive affectpreventionrewardrisksocial withdrawal
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 27 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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