“I felt sad and did not enjoy life”: Cultural context and the associations between anhedonia, depressed mood, and momentary emotions

Abstract

The meanings of "anhedonia" and "depressed mood," the cardinal emotional symptoms of major depression, may be shaped by cultural norms regarding pleasure and sadness. Thirty-two European Americans, 26 Hispanic Americans, 33 Asian Americans, and 20 Russian Americans provided reports of (a) depressive symptoms, (b) momentary emotions and pleasure, and (c) global subjective well-being. Momentary reports were collected over 10 days using handheld personal digital assistants. Reports of anhedonia were associated with heightened levels of momentary low arousal negative emotions (e.g., sadness), whereas reports of depressed mood were associated with dampened levels of momentary positive emotions (e.g., happiness). Symptoms of anhedonia and depressed mood interacted in their associations with momentary pleasure. In addition, the associations of anhedonia and depressed mood with positive emotions and life satisfaction differed across cultural groups. Specifically, these symptoms were associated with dampened positive emotions in the Asian American group only. Additionally, anhedonia was associated with dampened global life satisfaction in the European American group only. These results suggest that reports of anhedonia and depressed mood cannot be interpreted at face value as specific and culture-free indicators ofCorresponding author: Yulia Chentsova-Dutton, Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, 306 White-Gravenor Hall, 3700 O Street, NW, Box 571001, Washington, DC 20057. Email: yec2@georgetown.edu emotional deficits. Instead, they appear to signal changes in the balance of positive and negative emotions, with the exact nature of these signals shaped at least in part by cultural context. This conclusion has important consequences for the clinical interpretation of depressive symptoms in multicultural societies.

Prevalence of depression and factors associated with Brazilian workers

“…Association. [25][26][27] About education level as a factor associated with depression, the literature presents divergent results with positive associations or without confirmed associations. 16,[28][29][30] This divergence can be attributed to the sample size, ethnic differences and economic development of the country where the study is developed.…”

Schemas Mediate the Link Between Procrastination and Depression: Results from the United States and Pakistan

“…Currently, it is unknown if the strength of the hypothesized mediated effects will differ by country of origin (U.S. vs. Pakistani students). On one hand, Pakistani students are expected to adopt and adhere to different social dynamics and norms that may alter the experience and expression of mood-based disorders when compared against U.S. peers (e.g., Chentsova-Dutton, Choi, Ryder, & Reyes, 2015;Schreier et al, 2010).…”

Turning data into better mental health: Past, present, and future

“…Another way digital data collection can serve with the clinical concept is anhedonia is a further refinement of what constitutes anhedonia to the assessing clinician versus the user/patient. Subjective anhedonia assessment may be culturally modulated ( 34 , 63 ), and in an exploratory survey of individuals from various backgrounds, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of depressed mood and anhedonia suggests that EMA of anhedonia and depressed mood are not always to be taken at face value, as patients may report feeling depressed as anhedonic, and have a poor distinction of low mood and the behavioral correlates attached to it, such as social avoidance, low engagement in activities, or mood swings. Higher levels of anhedonia relate to anxiety related to social situations (social anhedonia) ( 34 ), a preference to be alone or with people one is at ease with.…”