Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 5, 2025

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Negative affect interference and fear of happiness are independently associated with depressive symptoms
D Gage Jordan1, Amanda C Collins1, Matthew G Dunaway2
1Department of Psychology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi, USA.
Objectives:
Reward devaluation theory (RDT) posits that some depressed individuals avoid positivity due to its previous association with negative outcomes. Behavioral indicators of avoidance of reward support RDT, but self-report indicators have yet to be examined discriminantly. Two candidate self-report measures were examined in relation to depression: negative affect interference (NAI), or the experience of negative affect in response to positivity, and fear of happiness, a fear of prospective happiness.
Method:
Participants completed measures assessing NAI, fear of happiness scale, and depression online via Amazon's Mechanical Turk at three time points (N = 375). Multilevel modeling examined the relationship between NAI, fear of happiness, and depressive symptoms longitudinally.
Results:
NAI and fear of happiness were both positively associated with depressive symptoms. They both uniquely predicted depressive symptoms when included within the same model.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that different conceptualizations of positivity avoidance are uniquely associated with depressive symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
The Influence of Affect on Cognition
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Role of Affect in Interpersonal Attraction

