Belief Updating Deficits in Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Prior studies have found that depression is linked to altered belief updating, but the strength and conditions of this association, such as its dependence on valence, remain unclear. This preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis examined studies that measured depressive symptoms and alterations in belief updating, in both updating-to-positive and updating-to-negative information directions.

Method

The PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched for studies examining belief updating and depressive symptomatology, resulting in retrieval of 29 papers (N = 3,130 individuals). Risk of bias was assessed using an adapted version of the Downs and Black checklist and risk for publication bias was assessed visually with funnel plots, as well as statistically with Egger's test and Duval and Tweedie's trim-and-fill procedure. Random effects models were used for calculating pooled effect sizes.

Results

We found evidence for a small, significant association (r = −0.11) between depressive symptoms and deficits in updating-to-positive information, but not for updating-to-negative information. Heterogeneity in both models was low. Exploratory subgroup analyses pointed to significant differences in the updating-to-positive direction based on the paradigm used, but this was not significant in the updating-to-negative direction. There were few concerns regarding the risk of bias and no evidence suggesting publication bias.

Conclusions

Depression is linked to a specific deficit in updating beliefs in response to positive disconfirming information, whereas no association was found with updating beliefs in response to negative information.