Meaning in life mediates the effects of sense of self and prosocial behaviours on anhedonia: A path analysis.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Anhedonia, the loss of interest and pleasure, is a core symptom of depression that is resistant to treatment. Anhedonic young people describe a weakened sense of self and reduced meaning in life. Knowing if these experiences predict anhedonia could reveal novel targets for intervention development. METHODS: We recruited young people (N = 429, mean age 20 years) with a range of depression scores. Using path analysis, we examined anhedonia, sense of self, meaning in life, and prosocial behaviours cross-sectionally and longitudinally at ∼5-month follow-up (N = 160). RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, sense of self (ß =. 81, p < .001) and prosocial behaviours (ß = 0.37, p < .001) had direct effects on meaning in life, and meaning in life had a direct effect on anhedonia (ß = -0.11, p < .001). Sense of self (ß = -0.09, p < .001) and prosocial behaviours (ß = -0.04, p < .001) had indirect effects on anhedonia, mediated by meaning in life. In the longitudinal analysis, sense of self at T1 had a direct effect on meaning in life at T2 (ß = 0.36, p < .01) and an indirect effect on anhedonia at T2 (ß = -0.05, p < .01), mediated by meaning in life. LIMITATIONS: Approximately 70 % of the participants were female. Future studies should include equal numbers of males and females. CONCLUSION: We provide novel evidence that targeting meaning in life, sense of self, or prosocial behaviours in psychotherapeutic interventions could be effective in alleviating anhedonia.