Abstract
Identifying factors that may protect individuals from developing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in the face of stress is critical. In the current study we experimentally tested whether such a potentially protective factor, engaging in acute exercise, reduces the adverse effects of repeated sad mood inductions in individuals who have recovered from depression. We hypothesized that recovered depressed participants who engage in acute exercise report a smaller increase in negative affect (NA) and a smaller decrease in positive affect (PA) when exposed to a repeated sad mood induction (i.e., habituation), whereas participants who do not exercise show sensitization (i.e., increased NA and decreased PA in response to a repeated adverse stimulus). Forty-one women recovered from MDD and 40 healthy control women were randomly assigned to either exercise for 15 minutes or quiet rest. Afterward, participants were exposed to two sad mood inductions and reported their levels of affect throughout the study. Recovered depressed participants who had not exercised exhibited higher NA after the second sad mood induction, a finding consistent with sensitization. In contrast, both recovered depressed participants who had engaged in acute exercise and healthy control participants showed no increase in NA in response to the repeated sad mood induction. Participants who exercised reported higher PA after the exercise bout; however, our hypothesis concerning reported PA trajectories following the sad mood inductions was not supported. Results suggest that exercise can serve as a protective factor in the face of exposure to repeated emotional stressors, particularly concerning NA in individuals who have recovered from depression.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 45-50 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Abnormal Psychology |
| Volume | 122 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 7 2013 |
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Keywords
- Exercise
- Physical activity
- Recovered major depressive disorder
- Repeated stress
- Sad mood induction
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Psychology
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Acute exercise attenuates negative affect following repeated sad mood inductions in persons who have recovered from depression. / Mata, Jutta; Hogan, Candice L.; Joormann, Jutta; Waugh, Christian E.; Gotlib, Ian H.
In: Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Vol. 122, No. 1, 07.08.2013, p. 45-50.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Acute exercise attenuates negative affect following repeated sad mood inductions in persons who have recovered from depression
AU - Mata, Jutta
AU - Hogan, Candice L.
AU - Joormann, Jutta
AU - Waugh, Christian E.
AU - Gotlib, Ian H.
PY - 2013/8/7
Y1 - 2013/8/7
N2 - Identifying factors that may protect individuals from developing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in the face of stress is critical. In the current study we experimentally tested whether such a potentially protective factor, engaging in acute exercise, reduces the adverse effects of repeated sad mood inductions in individuals who have recovered from depression. We hypothesized that recovered depressed participants who engage in acute exercise report a smaller increase in negative affect (NA) and a smaller decrease in positive affect (PA) when exposed to a repeated sad mood induction (i.e., habituation), whereas participants who do not exercise show sensitization (i.e., increased NA and decreased PA in response to a repeated adverse stimulus). Forty-one women recovered from MDD and 40 healthy control women were randomly assigned to either exercise for 15 minutes or quiet rest. Afterward, participants were exposed to two sad mood inductions and reported their levels of affect throughout the study. Recovered depressed participants who had not exercised exhibited higher NA after the second sad mood induction, a finding consistent with sensitization. In contrast, both recovered depressed participants who had engaged in acute exercise and healthy control participants showed no increase in NA in response to the repeated sad mood induction. Participants who exercised reported higher PA after the exercise bout; however, our hypothesis concerning reported PA trajectories following the sad mood inductions was not supported. Results suggest that exercise can serve as a protective factor in the face of exposure to repeated emotional stressors, particularly concerning NA in individuals who have recovered from depression.
AB - Identifying factors that may protect individuals from developing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in the face of stress is critical. In the current study we experimentally tested whether such a potentially protective factor, engaging in acute exercise, reduces the adverse effects of repeated sad mood inductions in individuals who have recovered from depression. We hypothesized that recovered depressed participants who engage in acute exercise report a smaller increase in negative affect (NA) and a smaller decrease in positive affect (PA) when exposed to a repeated sad mood induction (i.e., habituation), whereas participants who do not exercise show sensitization (i.e., increased NA and decreased PA in response to a repeated adverse stimulus). Forty-one women recovered from MDD and 40 healthy control women were randomly assigned to either exercise for 15 minutes or quiet rest. Afterward, participants were exposed to two sad mood inductions and reported their levels of affect throughout the study. Recovered depressed participants who had not exercised exhibited higher NA after the second sad mood induction, a finding consistent with sensitization. In contrast, both recovered depressed participants who had engaged in acute exercise and healthy control participants showed no increase in NA in response to the repeated sad mood induction. Participants who exercised reported higher PA after the exercise bout; however, our hypothesis concerning reported PA trajectories following the sad mood inductions was not supported. Results suggest that exercise can serve as a protective factor in the face of exposure to repeated emotional stressors, particularly concerning NA in individuals who have recovered from depression.
KW - Exercise
KW - Physical activity
KW - Recovered major depressive disorder
KW - Repeated stress
KW - Sad mood induction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84881015678&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84881015678&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0029881
DO - 10.1037/a0029881
M3 - Article
C2 - 22985013
AN - SCOPUS:84881015678
VL - 122
SP - 45
EP - 50
JO - Journal of Abnormal Psychology
JF - Journal of Abnormal Psychology
SN - 0021-843X
IS - 1
ER -