June's article of the month: Polarised thinking and traumatic experiences clearly linked to the severity of depressive symptoms

This study, which is part of a project funded by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, among others, was published in the journal Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice.

It was led by Dr. Marta Salla, professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), in collaboration with researchers from other universities such as the University of Barcelona, the University of Lleida, and the Universidad de Las Américas (Quito, Ecuador).

The study involved 172 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder or dysthymia, and found that all participants had experienced at least one traumatic event during their lifetime. Furthermore, a negative appraisal of those traumatic experiences was associated with greater severity of depressive symptoms.

Another key finding is that polarised thinking—the tendency to interpret the world in extreme terms (black or white, all or nothing)—acts as a partial mediator between trauma and depression. This suggests that individuals who interpret their traumatic experiences negatively may develop a more rigid cognitive style, which in turn contributes to the persistence of depressive symptoms.

The authors highlight that the findings suggest it is essential to intervene not only in relation to trauma, but also with regard to rigid cognitive processes, in order to reduce depressive symptomatology. The paper advocates for incorporating techniques that promote a more flexible view of oneself and the world, such as those proposed in Constructivist Psychotherapy and dilemma-focused interventions.