Anhedonia and emotional numbing in combat veterans with PTSD

We explored relationships between anhedonia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters, including their role in predicting psychiatric comorbidity. Our measure of anhedonia was derived from an examination of the latent structure of the Beck Depression Inventory. We found evidence for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBehaviour research and therapy Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 457 - 467
Main Authors Kashdan, Todd B., Elhai, Jon D., Frueh, B. Christopher
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2006
Elsevier Science
Elsevier Science Ltd
Subjects
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Anhedonia
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Assessment
Biological and medical sciences
Combat Disorders - psychology
Emotional numbing
Emotions
Humans
Medical sciences
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Middle Aged
Mood Disorders - etiology
Post traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
United States
Veterans - psychology
United States
Anhedonia
Posttraumatic stress disorder
Emotional numbing
Assessment
Human
Posttraumatic syndrome
Anxiety disorder
Emotion emotionality
Veteran
Stress
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Summary:We explored relationships between anhedonia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters, including their role in predicting psychiatric comorbidity. Our measure of anhedonia was derived from an examination of the latent structure of the Beck Depression Inventory. We found evidence for a two-factor solution, leading to anhedonia and undifferentiated, global depressive symptoms scales. In primary analyses, anhedonia had a unique positive relationship with PTSD's emotional numbing symptoms and minimal relationships with other PTSD symptoms. Upon examining the incremental validity of appetitive functioning (i.e., anhedonia, emotional numbing) over and above aversive functioning (i.e., re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal PTSD symptoms) variables, greater emotional numbing increased the likelihood of being diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, and greater anhedonia increased the likelihood of being diagnosed with additional anxiety disorders and to a lesser extent, psychotic disorders. Results were consistent with research on the distinction of appetitive and aversive functioning, providing insight into the nature of PTSD.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0005-7967
1873-622X
DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2005.03.001