Abstract

Concussions are a relatively common neurological injury and are associated with several adverse outcomes including depression. Anhedonia is a core feature of depression, with multiple subtypes, including consummatory anhedonia (i.e., diminished reward liking). Reward liking is related conceptually to the practice of savoring pleasurable stimuli. Savoring has been a component of mindfulness-based interventions that have efficacy in treating depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between lifetime concussion history, reward liking, savoring, and depression severity. 293 participants (56% women; mean age: 19.31) completed an online questionnaire and computer-based image savoring task. Contrary to expectations, no measured aspect of concussion history was related to savoring as defined by the image savoring task. A history of unconsciousness or amnesia following a concussion was positively related to reported reward liking, while a history of multiple concussions was positively related, and time since most recent concussion was negatively related, to self-reported beliefs about savoring in the moment. Reward liking had a negative relationship with depression severity that was fully mediated by "savoring in the moment" beliefs. These findings are explored in the context of recent research examining positive mood and affect following head injuries.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2023

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Bedwell, Jeffrey

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Psychology; Clinical Psychology

Identifier

CFE0009892

Language

English

Release Date

February 2024

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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