Testing positive for a genetic predisposition to depression magnifies retrospective memory for depressive symptoms

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Matthew S Lebowitz, Woo-Kyoung Ahn

Abstract

Depression, like other mental disorders and health conditions generally, is increasingly construed as genetically based. This research sought to determine whether merely telling people that they have a genetic predisposition to depression can cause them to retroactively remember having experienced it. U.S. adults (men and women) were recruited online to participate (Experiment 1: N = 288; Experiment 2: N = 599). After conducting a test disguised as genetic screening, we randomly assigned some participants to be told that they carried elevated genetic susceptibility to depression, whereas others were told that they did not carry this genetic liability or were told that they carried elevated susceptibility to a different disorder. Participants then rated their experience of depressive symptoms over the prior 2 weeks on a modified version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Participants who were told that their genes predisposed them to depression generally reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology over the previous 2 weeks, compared to those who did not receive this feedback. Given the central role of self-report in psychiatric diagnosis, these findings highlight potentially harmful consequences of personalized genetic...Continue Reading

Associated Clinical Trials

Citations

Nov 18, 2018·Annual Review of Clinical Psychology·Matthew S Lebowitz, Paul S Appelbaum
May 6, 2020·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Bettina MeiserTatiane Yanes
Aug 20, 2020·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Morgan N DriverDanielle M Dick
May 22, 2020·Personality Neuroscience·Katherine E MacDuffieAhmad R Hariri
Oct 5, 2020·European Journal of Human Genetics : EJHG·Gabriel Lázaro-MuñozStacey Pereira
Jan 6, 2021·Clinical Psychology Review·Hans S Schroder
Aug 19, 2020·Journal of Affective Disorders·Hans S SchroderThröstur Björgvinsson
Oct 15, 2020·JAMA Psychiatry·Graham K MurrayNaomi R Wray
Sep 26, 2021·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·José Juan MorosoliSarah E Medland

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