Affective dynamics in adolescents with major depressive disorder and subthreshold depression: an experience sampling...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Adolescent Psychology
• Affective Science

Background:

• Sub-threshold depression (SD) impacts 11% of adolescents, presenting impairments comparable to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
• Adolescence is a vulnerable period for affective disturbances, yet SD's affective dynamics remain understudied.
• Limited research exists on how affective disturbances manifest in adolescents with SD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare positive and negative affective (PA/NA) levels and dynamics in adolescents with SD, MDD, and healthy controls (HC).
• To investigate affective variability, inertia, and reactivity to daily stressors and pleasures in adolescent depression spectrum.
• To understand the nuances of emotional experience in sub-threshold depression during adolescence.

Main Methods:

• 198 adolescents (12-18 years) were categorized into MDD (n=66), SD (n=35), and HC (n=88) groups.
• A 14-day smartphone-based experience sampling method (ESM) was employed, supplemented by clinical ratings and questionnaires.
• Participants were recruited from diverse sources, including epidemiological studies and specialist clinics.

Main Results:

• Negative Affect (NA) levels were highest in MDD, followed by SD and HC; Positive Affect (PA) showed the reverse pattern.
• Adolescents with MDD and SD exhibited greater NA variability compared to HC.
• Both MDD and SD groups showed heightened NA and PA reactivity to daily events (stress/pleasure) compared to HC, with SD showing greater PA reactivity to stress than MDD.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents with SD display comparable NA reactivity and expansiveness to MDD but shorter durations of negative states.
• The SD group demonstrates heightened sensitivity to both pleasure and stress compared to HC.
• Emotional sensitivity and flexibility in SD have significant clinical implications for early depression intervention strategies.