The following is a summary of “Transdiagnostic considerations of the relationship between reward sensitivity and psychopathological symptoms – a cross-lagged panel analysis,” published in the September 2023 issue of Psychiatry by Potsch et al.
Reward sensitivity is a potential mechanism for mental disorders, especially depression. More finding is needed to clarify the temporal dynamics and whether it is a transdiagnostic mechanism. Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine how reward sensitivity and psychopathological symptoms change over time, considering depression as a possible mediator.
They conducted a three-wave online survey spaced 4 weeks apart, with N = 453 subjects who completed all 3 questionnaires. Reward sensitivity was assessed with the Positive Valence System Scale-21 (PVSS-21), depression was used by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), eating disorder symptoms with the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire-8 (EDE-Q-8), social anxiety was used by the Mini-social phobia inventory (Mini-SPIN), and alcohol consumption with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). Path analyses included cross-lagged panels and mediation analyses.
The results showed PVSS-2 scores influenced by depressive and eating disorder symptoms, especially during the transition from T2 to T3. A bidirectional relationship emerged in the context of social anxiety. Increased alcohol consumption correlated with heightened reward sensitivity. At T2, depression served as a complete mediator in the link between psychopathological symptoms at T1 and reward sensitivity at T3 for both social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms.
Investigators concluded that reduced reward sensitivity resulted from psychopathological symptoms, not an antecedent.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05139-3