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A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

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Published on: February 22, 2018

Death thoughts predict increased depression for those with low self-worth.

Samuel Fairlamb¹, Jacob Juhl²

¹Psychology Department, Royal Holloway University of London, Surrey, UK.

|July 17, 2020

Summary

Terror management theory suggests self-worth prevents death awareness from harming psychological well-being. This study found death thoughts increased depression only in individuals with low self-worth, supporting the theory.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Social Psychology

Background:

Terror management theory posits self-worth as a buffer against death anxiety.
Depression is a significant mental health concern impacting psychological well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the relationship between self-worth, death-thought accessibility, and depression.
To test terror management theory's predictions within a depressed population.

Main Methods:

An online study was conducted with 365 participants.
Measures included self-worth, death-thought accessibility, and depression levels.

Main Results:

Death-thought accessibility was associated with increased depression.
This association was significant only for individuals reporting low self-worth.

Conclusions:

Findings support terror management theory's emphasis on self-worth for psychological well-being.
Highlights the importance of understanding the need for self-worth in psychological therapies for depression.