Neural Reward Responsiveness Moderates the Effect of a Brief Positive Emotion-Focused Training on Perceived Stress in...

College students tend to report high perceived stress and are at a high risk for internalizing symptoms. Deficits in positive valence systems function, including blunted reward responsiveness as measured by the reward positivity (RewP) event-related potential, are key factors underlying risk for internalizing symptoms. This study aimed to (1) test the effects of a single-session positive emotion-focused training called Brief Promoting Positive Emotions (BPPE) on RewP and (2) test RewP as a moderator of the effect of BPPE on changes in perceived stress and internalizing symptoms one month later. Ninety-two college students (M_age = 19.44, SD = 1.15) reported on perceived stress and internalizing symptoms before being randomized to BPPE (n = 47) or a study skills comparison condition (n = 45). Following the training, participants completed a monetary incentive delay task while electroencephalogram data were recorded. One month later, participants reported perceived stress and internalizing symptoms again (n = 66). No significant group differences in RewP were found. RewP moderated the training effects on one-month follow-up perceived stress, but not symptoms of depression or social anxiety. In the BPPE group, a relatively blunted RewP was associated with decreases in perceived stress one month later, whereas in the comparison group, a more blunted RewP predicted increases in perceived stress. Although preliminary given the relatively small sample, results suggest that college students with lower RewP may benefit from brief trainings aimed at enhancing positive emotions and highlight the potential utility of neural measures in informing more personalized approaches to training.