Emphasizing Malleability in the biology of depression: Durable effects on perceived agency and prognostic pessimism

Biological attributions for depression, which are currently ascendant, can lead to prognostic pessimism—the perception that symptoms are relatively immutable and unlikely to abate (Kvaale, Haslam, & Gottdiener, 2013; Lebowitz, Ahn, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2013). Among symptomatic individuals, this...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behaviour research and therapy 2015-08, Vol.71, p.125-130
Main Authors: Lebowitz, Matthew S., Ahn, Woo-kyoung
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Agency
Belief & doubt
Biological explanations
Case-Control Studies
Depression
Depression - psychology
Effects
Emotions
Female
Humans
Intervention
Male
Mental depression
Middle Aged
Patient Education as Topic
Pessimism - psychology
Prognosis
Prognostic pessimism
Psychoeducation
Self Efficacy
Young Adult
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Summary:Biological attributions for depression, which are currently ascendant, can lead to prognostic pessimism—the perception that symptoms are relatively immutable and unlikely to abate (Kvaale, Haslam, & Gottdiener, 2013; Lebowitz, Ahn, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2013). Among symptomatic individuals, this may have important clinical ramifications, as reduced confidence in one's own ability to overcome depression carries the risk of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Previous research (Lebowitz, Ahn, et al., 2013) has demonstrated that educational interventions teaching symptomatic individuals about how the effects of genetic and neurobiological factors involved in depression are malleable and can be modified by experiences and environmental factors can reduce prognostic pessimism. While previous research demonstrated such effects only in the immediate term, the present research extends these findings by testing whether such benefits persist six weeks after the intervention. Indeed, among individuals who initially considered biological factors to play a major role in influencing their levels of depression, exposure to malleability-focused psychoeducation reduced levels of depression-related prognostic pessimism and stronger belief in their ability to regulate their moods. Critically, this benefit persisted six weeks after the intervention. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed. •Biological understandings of depression are increasingly dominant.•These can lead to pessimistic beliefs about prognosis.•We tested an educational video about the malleability of depression's biology.•Results suggest that the intervention had both immediate and durable effects.•This could have important clinical implications.
ISSN:0005-7967
1873-622X
DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2015.06.005