Is Worse Attention a Risk Factor for or a Consequence of Depression, or Are Worse Attention and Depression Better Accounted for by Stress? A Prospective Test of Three Hypotheses
Open accessAbstract
It is unclear whether impaired cognition is a risk factor for depression or a consequence of depression, or whether both depression and impaired cognition are caused by a third underlying process (e.g., stress). These three hypotheses were tested in 523 adolescents assessed annually for depression, attentional functioning, and childhood/recent life stress. Baseline switching, sustained, and selective attention did not predict first onset of depression or depressive symptoms. Divided attention predicted depressive symptoms only. Piecewise growth modeling indicated that the trajectory of switching attention declined prior to first onset of depression; there was evidence of significant recovery in switching attention following first onset of depression. Structural equation modeling indicated that impaired switching attention prospectively predicted higher depressive symptoms and that higher depressive symptoms predicted worse selective and switching attention. Further, childhood stress prospectively predicted higher depressive symptoms via switching attention and worse switching attention via depressive symptoms.
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Higher depressive symptoms at baseline also predicted worse selective attention at follow-up.
“but higher depressive symptoms at baseline also predicted worse selective attention at follow-up”
From Paying attention to attention in depression (2019) · cites this paper as [163]
Baseline divided attention performance predicted depressive symptoms at follow-up.
“Specifically, baseline-divided attention performance predicted depressive symptoms at follow-up”
From Paying attention to attention in depression (2019) · cites this paper as [163]
Giollabhui et al. used a longitudinal sample to investigate selective, sustained, and divided attention, and showed that the interactions among these pathways may be complex.
“Giollabhui et al.163 used a longitudinal sample to investigate selective, sustained, and divided attention, and showed that the interactions among these pathways may be complex.”
From Paying attention to attention in depression (2019) · cites this paper as [163]
Childhood stress predicted both higher depressive symptoms and worse attention.
“and childhood stress predicted both higher depressive symptoms and worse attention.”
From Paying attention to attention in depression (2019) · cites this paper as [163]
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- Authors
- Mac Giollabhui, N., Olino, T. M., Nielsen, J., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B.
- Affiliations
- Department of Psychology, Temple University
- Temple University (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Corresponding author
- Alloy, Lauren B.
- Venue
- Clinical Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2018-09-20
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 93-109
- ISSN
- 2167-7026 (ISSN-L)
- 2167-7034
- PMC
- PMC6425724
- OpenAlex
- W2892273862
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 4.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Clinical Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH079369, MH101168)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- depression, attentional shift, selective attention, divided attention, childhood stress, life events, cognitive impairment, adolescents, depressive symptoms
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