Heininga V E, van Roekel E, Ahles J J, Oldehinkel A J, Mezulis A H
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion regulation The Netherlands.
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion regulation The Netherlands; Tilburg University, Department of Developmental Psychology, The Netherlands.
J Affect Disord. 2017 Aug 15;218:437-445. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.029. Epub 2017 Apr 21.
Anhedonia, the decreased interest and pleasure, is often described as 'flat' or 'blunted' positive affect (PA). Yet, little is known about PA functioning in anhedonic individuals' daily lives. The current study investigates PA reactivity to pleasurable experiences in anhedonia together with its relevant temporal dynamics (i.e., variability, instability, and inertia), and expands current knowledge by exploring the role of arousal therein.
Using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM), we collected 90 assessments of real-life PA experiences across 30 days in 18-24 year old individuals with anhedonia (N=69) and without anhedonia (N=69).
Multilevel analyses showed that anhedonia was associated with less intense pleasure experience, and lower levels of PA. Contrary to predictions from laboratory research and depression theory, individuals with anhedonia showed more variability and less stability in PA, and no signs of blunted PA reactivity. In fact, when exploring high and low arousal PA, individuals with anhedonia showed a slightly stronger reactivity to pleasurable experiences in high-arousal PA but not low-arousal PA.
We did not control for previous pleasure experiences and, instead of the last positive event, accumulation of positive events may have determined the change in high-arousal PA.
Individuals with anhedonia are likely less 'flat' or 'blunted' than generally thought. Although replication is warranted, impairments in high-arousal positive emotions may be of particular interest in the clinical treatment of anhedonia.
快感缺失，即兴趣和愉悦感降低，常被描述为积极情绪（PA）“平淡”或“迟钝”。然而，对于快感缺失个体日常生活中的积极情绪功能，我们知之甚少。本研究调查了快感缺失个体对愉悦体验的积极情绪反应及其相关的时间动态（即变异性、不稳定性和惯性），并通过探索唤醒在其中的作用来扩展现有知识。
我们采用经验取样法（ESM），在30天内收集了18 - 24岁有快感缺失（N = 69）和无快感缺失（N = 69）个体的90次现实生活中积极情绪体验评估。
多层次分析表明，快感缺失与愉悦体验强度较低以及积极情绪水平较低有关。与实验室研究和抑郁理论的预测相反，有快感缺失的个体在积极情绪方面表现出更大的变异性和更低的稳定性，且没有积极情绪反应迟钝的迹象。事实上，在探究高唤醒和低唤醒的积极情绪时，有快感缺失的个体在高唤醒积极情绪中对愉悦体验的反应略强，但在低唤醒积极情绪中并非如此。
我们没有控制先前的愉悦体验，而且可能是积极事件的积累而非最后一个积极事件决定了高唤醒积极情绪的变化。
有快感缺失的个体可能并不像通常认为的那样“平淡”或“迟钝”。尽管需要重复验证，但高唤醒积极情绪的损伤可能在快感缺失的临床治疗中特别值得关注。
