The DOI matches its Crossref record; 90 of the 91 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Behavioral theory of depression: Reinforcement as a mediating variable between avoidance and depression
Abstract
Behavioral theory posits that certain environmental changes and avoidant behaviors inhibit individuals from experiencing environmental reward and reinforcement and subsequently leads to the development and maintenance of depressive symptoms. Using self-report and behavioral (daily diary) indices of environmental reward as proxy measures for positive reinforcement, this investigation examined whether environmental reward mediated the relationship between avoidance and depression. When controlling for anxiety, both indices of environmental reward significantly mediated the relationships of depression with cognitive, behavioral and total avoidance. Post-hoc mediation analyses were conducted to examine potential gender differences. Self-reported environmental reward significantly mediated the relationship between avoidance and depression across both genders. Among females, however, daily diary-measured reward only mediated the relation between cognitive avoidance and depression. In males daily diary reward was a mediator with all three forms of avoidance and depression. This investigation provides initial support for reinforcement as a significant mediator between avoidance and depression and further highlights the relevance of avoidance and reinforcement in behavioral conceptualizations of depression.
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“the central premise of behavioral theory and activation treatments is that increasing avoidance and escape behavior will decrease exposure to positive reinforcement for healthy outcomes (e.g., increasing depression symptoms, see [50]).”
In the citing paper
“Avoid and escape are two key verbs related to understanding this process [50] and its relationship with psychopathologic symptoms [22].”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Carvalho, J. P., & Hopko, D. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-06
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 154-162
- ISSN
- 0005-7916 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2159243388
- Cited by
- 176
- References
- 91
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 7.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- depression, avoidance, reinforcement, environmental reward, mediation, cognitive avoidance, behavioral avoidance, gender differences, anxiety, daily diary
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Reinforcement, Psychology, Young Adult
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