Maladaptive Cognition in Depression, 2022

This project aims to improve our understanding of the maladaptive cognitions driving depressive symptoms. To gain a more mechanistic understanding of the neurocognitive bases of (mal)adaptive cognition, we will leverage computational models of behaviour. This overarching goal will be achieved by conceptualising maladaptive depressive cognition as maladaptive attributions. To test this we will measure:
(a) biases in the attribution of positive and negative events to the self vs. external causes;
(b) biases in the metacognitive evaluations of decision confidence and their potential misattribution to action-outcome learning.
Using cutting-edge analysis methods, across online, clinical, and neuroimaging studies, this project will achieve the following objectives:
1. Clarify the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying adaptive attribution (of external events and of metacognitive signals), in healthy participants.
2. Identify behavioural markers of maladaptive attribution related to depressive symptoms in a non-clinical sample.
3. Test the specificity of markers of maladaptive attribution to depressive symptoms, relative to other common mental health problems.
4. Test the clinical relevance of markers of maladaptive attribution.