Targeting savoring: the electrocortical effects of a two-session positive emotion up-regulation treatment for...

Depression - and potentially internalizing psychopathology more broadly - is characterized by deficits in the up-regulation of positive emotion. For instance, individuals higher in depression are less able to savor positive pictures, as measured by the late positive potential (LPP), an electrocortical measure of emotional salience. Therefore, the LPP during savoring might function as a therapeutic target for depression.

We investigated whether a two-session, positive-emotion up-regulation treatment (Short-term Methods for Increasing Life's Enjoyment, SMILE) would affect savoring of positive and neutral pictures, as measured using the LPP and picture ratings. Students with elevated depression (N = 39) were randomly assigned to SMILE (n = 20) or a control 'study tips' condition (n = 19). Prior to SMILE (Pre-Treatment) and at treatment end (Post-Treatment), participants savored and viewed positive and neutral pictures while EEG and picture ratings were recorded.

The LPP was larger for positive versus neutral pictures and savor versus view trials. Whereas both groups upregulated the LPP when savoring positive pictures at Pre-Treatment, the SMILE group showed larger savor versus view LPPs on positive picture trials at Post-Treatment relative to the Control group. Additionally, the Control group rated savored pictures as less pleasant after two weeks, while the SMILE group showed no decrement in ratings.

Two sessions of SMILE appeared to brace against reductions in savoring, validating the LPP during savoring as a modifiable neural target. This is the first evidence of target engagement in a short-term positive emotion-focused treatment for internalizing psychopathology.