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Converging evidence for enduring perceptions of low social status in individuals in remission from depression

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posted on 2024-06-06, 09:17 authored by Julia A Gillard, Siobhan Gormley, Kirsty Griffiths, Caitlin Hitchcock, Tim Dalgleish, Jason Stretton

Background: The risk of depressive relapse and recurrence is associated with social risk factors that may be amplified by a submissive socio-cognitive profile. Methods: : In Study 1 we aimed to identify perceptions of low social status in a community sample (N = 613) with a self-reported history of mental health difficulties (n = 232) and, more specifically in Study 2 (N = 122), in individuals in clinical remission from depression (n = 18), relative to a never-depressed control group (n = 64), and relative to a group experiencing a current depressive episode (n = 40). Results: : In Study 1, a total of 225 of the 232 participants in the self-reported mental health difficulties group opted to provide further information regarding their mental health history, of whom 153 (68%) reported a history of anxiety, 168 (74.7%) reported a history of depression, and 13 (5.8%) reported an unspecified mental health history. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with perceptions of low social status which significantly differed between individuals with and without a self-reported history of mental health difficulties. In Study 2 we found enduring perceptions of low social status in remitted depressed individuals. Limitations: : We were unable to discern between historical or current clinical diagnosis in the community sample of Study 1, as we were reliant on self-report. We were unable to explore the effects of medication or causal relationships between depressive symptoms and social status as the studies were cross-sectional in nature. Conclusions: : These findings suggest that evolutionarily rooted socio-cognitive profiles could impact affiliative processes and may confer increased vulnerability to future depressive episodes.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

294

Page range

661-670

Publication title

Journal of Affective Disorders

ISSN

0165-0327

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Location

Netherlands

File version

  • Published version

Language

  • eng

Item sub-type

Journal Article

Media of output

Print-Electronic

Affiliated with

  • School of Psychology and Sport Science Outputs