Research paperMapping the relationship between anxiety, anhedonia, and depression

- Three studies examined the relationships between anxiety, anhedonia, and depression.
- Anxiety and depression were positively associated in individuals who relinquished enjoyment due to anxiety-related avoidance.
- Anhedonia also mediated the relationship between anxiety and depression cross-sectionally and over time.
- Some individuals thus avoid potentially pleasurable activities because of anxiety, which results in loss of pleasure and other depressive symptoms.

IntroductionAnxiety and depression are often comorbid conditions, but there is uncertainty as to how this comorbidity develops. Thus, in three studies, we attempted to discern whether anhedonia may be a key linking factor between anxiety and depression.MethodsThree studies asked participants about their symptoms of anxiety and depression: in Study 1, 109 participants completed measures of anxiety, depression, activity avoidance, and perceived enjoyability and importance of avoided activities; in Study 2, 747 participants completed measures of anhedonia, anxiety, depression, and defensiveness; in Study 3, 216 participants completed measures assessing the same constructs as in Study 2 at four time-points (ranging 11 months in span).ResultsIn Study 1, symptoms of anxiety and depression were positively related only in individuals who relinquished potential enjoyment due to their anxiety-related avoidance; in Study 2, the indirect effect of anhedonia helped explained how anxiety symptoms imparted risk onto depressive symptoms; and in Study 3, anxiety led to anhedonia and then depression over time and anhedonia led to anxiety and then depression at both 5 and 11 months.LimitationsThe manuscript is limited by the use of a student sample in study 2, cross-sectional methods in studies 1 and 2, and reliance on self-ratings.ConclusionsAnxiety may devolve into depression through anhedonia, such that anxious individuals begin to lose pleasure in anxiety-provoking activities, which results in the development of other depressive symptoms.