Does grit protect against the adverse effects of depression on academic achievement?

Depressive symptoms have been shown to be negatively related to academic achievement, as measured by grade point average (GPA). Grit, or the passion for and the ability to persevere toward a goal despite adversity, has been linked to GPA. Thus, grit may potentially buffer against the negative effects of depressive symptoms in relation to academic achievement.

Longitudinal and experimental investigations of implicit happiness and explicit fear of happiness.

Some individuals devalue positivity previously associated with negativity (Winer & Salem, 2016). Positive emotions (e.g.

Negative affect interference and fear of happiness are independently associated with depressive symptoms.

Objectives: Reward devaluation theory (RDT) posits that some depressed individuals avoid positivity due to its previous association with negative outcomes. Behavioral indicators of avoidance of reward support RDT, but self-report indicators have yet to be examined discriminantly. Two candidate self-report measures were examined in relation to depression: negative affect interference (NAI), or the experience of negative affect in response to positivity, and fear of happiness, a fear of prospective happiness.

Mapping the relationship between anxiety, anhedonia, and depression.

Introduction: Anxiety and depression are often comorbid conditions, but there is uncertainty as to how this comorbidity develops. Thus, in three studies, we attempted to discern whether anhedonia may be a key linking factor between anxiety and depression.

Methods: Three studies asked participants about their symptoms of anxiety and depression: in Study 1, 109 participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, activity avoidance, and perceived enjoyability and importance of avoided activities; in Study 2, 747 participants completed measures of anhedonia, anxiety, depression, and defensiveness; in Study 3, 216 participants completed measures assessing the same constructs as in Study 2 at four time-points (ranging 11 months in span).

Longitudinal evaluation of anhedonia as a mediator of fear of positive evaluation and other depressive symptoms.

Fear of positive evaluation (FPE) is experiencing dread during real or potential praise. FPE is associated with social anxiety, but its relation to depressive symptoms is unclear. Anhedonia is a core symptom of depression related to symptoms of anxiety in cross-sectional research.