Positive Social Affect Training in Major Depressive Disorder (C03)

• Subject Area: Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 521379614

Social distress is a well-documented risk factor for depression and socio-affective capacities might contribute to buffering such stress effects. Project C03 investigates the impact of an eight-week positive social affect training in participant and partner dyads, aiming to reduce negative empathic affect transmission and strengthen adaptive social interaction. The study assesses training effects and potential moderators on daily interactions, socio-affective abilities, and depression symptoms over a 24-month follow-up. C03 aims to determine if mechanisms can be targeted for prevention, improving care for patients.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 393: Trajectories of Affective Disorders: Cognitive-emotional Mechanisms of Symptom Change
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Philipp Kanske; Dr. Elisabeth Johanna Leehr