Breaking the cycle: the effects of therapeutic intervention techniques on cognitive and affective processes in individuals vulnerable to depressive relapse

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, and the risk of depressive relapse is high after having experienced a depressive episode. Preventing depressive relapse is important to reduce the burden of depression. This thesis focuses on getting a better understanding of the vulnerability to depressive relapse and how therapeutic intervention techniques can reduce this vulnerability.
In our research, we examined the effects of preventive cognitive therapy and the therapeutic technique positive fantasizing on factors that play a role in the risk of depressive relapse. Results showed that participants from the general population experienced less rumination and improved affect after positive fantasizing, compared to after a stress-inducing task. In another study, we showed that in individuals with a history of depression, preventive cognitive therapy led to an increase in positive thoughts in response to positive scenarios and a decrease in negative emotional reactivity. Interestingly, these changes could not be linked to changes in brain connectivity following therapy.
The findings provide insight in how risk factors for depressive relapse can be adjusted through therapeutic interventions. Additionally, this thesis explored the potential of objective measurement methods, such as information on the completion of electronic diary entries, to gain a better understanding of the vulnerability to depressive relapse. Results from our ongoing research, outlined in the study protocol presented in this thesis, will offer more detailed insights into how techniques like mindfulness and positive fantasizing work and differ from each other.