A Study on the Characteristics and Interventions of Interpretation Bias in College Students with Depression Tendency Under Different Emotional Priming Conditions

Abstract

This study aims to examine the characteristics of interpretation bias among students with depressive tendencies under emotional priming conditions and compare with normal college students. This study employed behavioral experiments to gather data on the responses of college students with depressive tendency (depression tendency groups) and psychologically healthy college students (normal control group) in word association tasks. The tasks were conducted under positive and negative emotional priming conditions to investigate the interpretation bias characteristics of individuals with depressive tendency. Additionally, an interpretation bias intervention was implemented to enhance positive cognitive function, weaken negative cognition, and strengthen the inhibition of negative information. This intervention aimed to examine the changes in interpretation bias among individuals with depressive tendency and explore the effectiveness of positive cognitive intervention. Individuals with depressive tendency demonstrate a significant negative interpretation bias when processing ambiguous information, particularly when triggered by negative emotions. Following active interpretation training, participants in the depression intervention group exhibited reduced inhibition of positive interpretation processing and decreased activation of negative interpretation during the processing of ambiguous information. Negative emotions can amplify the processing of negative information and subsequent behavioral responses among college students with depressive tendency. Conversely, positive emotions can enhance the positive emotional experiences of these students and alleviate depressive symptoms. Positive interpretation bias training has the potential to enhance an individual’s positive emotional experiences, modify or improve negative cognitive representations, and consequently reduce their susceptibility to depression.