Investigating the Relationship Between Childhood Depressive Symptoms and Prosocial Behavior with Guilt and Anhedonia as Moderating Factors

Abstract

Prosocial behavior is defined as any voluntary social behavior performed to benefit others. While many studies have found that prosocial behavior protects against depressive symptoms and negative emotions, few have examined what variables may moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and prosocial behavior. Guilt and anhedonia, two symptoms common in depressive disorders, may be especially relevant to prosocial behaviors, with guilt possibly leading to greater prosocial behaviors and anhedonia leading to less prosocial behaviors. However, the moderating effects of guilt and anhedonia have not yet been tested. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between childhood depressive symptoms and prosocial behavior, while examining guilt and anhedonia as moderating factors. We hypothesize that that greater levels of anhedonia will be associated with less prosocial behavior and greater symptoms of guilt will predict greater prosocial behavior in the relationship between depression and prosocial behavior. Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study dataset of over 11,000 children, we analyzed these factors and found that anhedonia moderates the relationship between depression and prosocial behavior while guilt does not. Specifically, lower levels of anhedonia showed a more pronounced decline in prosociality as depression increased. These results have major implications for recognizing and treating childhood depressive symptomatology and disorders. PI: Dr. Antonia Kaczkurkin, PSY 4999