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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In the citing paper
“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].”
Citations
Cites
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Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Carvalho, J. P., Gawrysiak, M., Hellmuth, J. C., McNulty, J. K., Magidson, J. F., & Lejuez, C. W., et al. The Reward Probability Index (RPI): design and validation of a scale measuring access to environmental reward. Behavior Therapy, in press.
- Vandromme, 2007, The Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scale (CBAS): a questionnaire to measure avoidance behavior in depression, Gedragstherapie, 40, 285
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Sorted by citations
Perosanz, J. J. I., & Hayes, A. F. (2021) · The Spanish Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1017/sjp.2021.46 · Cited by 665
“…analysis to avoid but nevertheless still found in the literature is to split the sample into subgroups or strata, such as males and females (e.g., Carvalho & Hopko, 2011), or older and younger people (e.g., Grøntved et al., 2011), or in experimental and control conditions, and then conducting a…”
The structure of common emotion regulation strategies: A meta-analytic examination
Naragon-Gainey, K., McMahon, T. P., & Chacko, T. P. (2017) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/bul0000093 · Cited by 588
Alcohol and other substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review
Roberts, A. D. L., Rogers, J., Mason, R., Siriwardena, A. N., Hogue, T. E., Whitley, G. A., & Law, G. R. (2021) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109150 · Cited by 459
“Moreover, it may have been the experience of isolation resulting from lockdown that increased depression; the behavioural theory of depression suggests that restrictions in access to environmental and social rewards alone can increase the risk (Carvalho and Hopko, 2011).”
Elhai, J. D., Levine, J. C., Dvorak, R. D., & Hall, B. J. (2016) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.023 · Cited by 397
Barbosa, J. D. C., DOCKERTY, M. B., & Waugh, J. M. (1946) · PubMed · Cited by 294
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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