Attentional Bias and Mood Persistence as Prospective Predictors of Dysphoria

This study examined whether either a negative attentional bias or mood persistence would interact with intervening life stress to predict future increases in dysphoria among college students (N = 77). Dysphoria was assessed in the lab, and then attentional bias was measured with a dot-probe task before and after a negative mood induction. Mood recovery following the induction was also assessed. Seven weeks later, dysphoria and intervening life stress were measured. Prior shifts in attention toward negative information following a negative mood induction interacted with intervening life stress to predict increases in dysphoria 7 weeks later. Slower mood recovery following the mood induction also combined with intervening life stress to predict increased dysphoria at follow-up. These vulnerabilities each explained unique variance in follow-up dysphoria. Results suggest that both attentional bias and mood persistence may have significant roles in depression susceptibility.