(PS5-85) The Interplay of Rumination and Error-related Brain Activity in the Prospective Prediction of Depressive Symptoms Among Youth

Background:

Rumination is an established risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms in adolescents . However, not all youth who ruminate go on to develop depression, suggesting the presence of factors that moderate risk patterns. Alterations in cognitive control have been implicated in rumination and depression pathways. In particular, the error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential indexing cognitive error processing, has been associated with both rumination and depression. However, it remains unknown whether the ERN interacts with rumination to predict subsequent increases in youth internalizing symptoms. The current study sought to examine the interplay of the ERN and rumination in the prospective prediction of anxiety and depressive symptoms 12 months later in a sample of adolescents.

Method:

Participants in the study included 60 youth (ages 9-16, 74% female) at high and low risk for depression and anxiety based on presence or absence of maternal history of major depressive disorder. At baseline, youth completed a measure of rumination (RRS) and a flanker task while electroencephalography (EEG) data was collected to measure ERN. Youth completed measures of depressive (CES-D) and anxiety (SCARED) symptoms at baseline and 12-month follow-up.

Results:

Results revealed a significant interaction between baseline child ERN and rumination in the prospective prediction of depressive symptoms at 12-months, F(1,52)=3.97, p< .05. Follow-up simple-slope analyses indicated that a higher RRS score at baseline predicted increases in depressive symptoms at 12-months for youth exhibiting a more enhanced (more negative) (-1 SD) ERN, t=2.14, p< .05. This effect was maintained when adjusting for baseline anxiety symptoms, age, gender, and maternal depression history. No significant effects emerged for the prospective prediction of anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion:

These findings highlight the interplay of rumination and ERN in the prospective prediction of depression symptoms in youth. Specifically, higher rumination was associated with increased depressive symptoms at 12-months, but only among youth exhibiting a more enhanced ERN at baseline, indicating altered error processing. If replicated, these results indicate that rumination-based CBT interventions may be particularly effective for youth exhibiting an enhanced ERN prior to treatment. Alternatively, other treatment approaches aimed at normalizing implicit error-processing patterns may also stand to reduce depression risk in youth who engage in frequent rumination.