Problem solving deteriorates following mood challenge in formerly depressed patients with a history of suicidal ideation.

Journal article

The authors divided 34 participants who had a history of depression into 2 groups, those having previous suicidal ideation or behavior (n=19) and those having no such symptoms (n=15), then compared the 2 groups with a group of participants who had no history of depression (n=22). Assessment of interpersonal problem-solving performance using the Means-Ends Problem-Solving (MEPS) task before and after a mood-induction procedure showed that only those formerly depressed people with a history of suicidal ideation shifted in MEPS performance, producing significantly less effective problem solutions following mood challenge, consistent with a differential activation account of vulnerability for recurrence of suicidal ideation and behavior. The deterioration in effectiveness following mood challenge was moderated by lack of specificity in autobiographical memory.

Authors: Williams, J; Barnhofer, T; Crane, C; Beck, A

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of abnormal psychology
• Volume: 114
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 421-431
• Publication date: 2005-08-01
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-843X.114.3.421
• EISSN: 1939-1846
• ISSN: 0021-843X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Suicide; Personality Inventory; Mental Recall; Generalization (Psychology); Attention; Problem Solving; Affect; Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Female; Life Change Events; Recurrence; Adult; Depressive Disorder, Major