Imagery elaboration and clarity in modifying college students' depression

Examined the relationship between clarity of imagery and depression reduction and determined whether Ss who elaborated on positive fantasies were more successful in therapy than those Ss who merely practiced positive daydreams. Thirty depressed college females were pretested with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), randomly assigned to one of three groups for a 3-week period, and then were posttested with the BDI. The groups were a no treatment control, a positive imagery group, and a positive imagery group who elaborated on their daydreams. Ss were asked to rate the clarity of imagery on a scale from 1 to 10. Analysis of covariance found no significant treatment effect, but vividness of imagery was correlated significantly with depression reduction.