VIDEO: Social, monetary rewards linked to anxiety, depression during postpartum period

Key takeaways:

• Anxiety symptoms were associated with elevated reward positivity to social rewards.
• Monetary reward positivity was associated with risk factors for postpartum depression.

WASHINGTON — Monetary and social rewards had different relationships with anxiety and depression in postpartum women, according to a poster presented here.

Emili Cárdenas, MS, a clinical psychology PhD student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and colleagues developed a social incentive delay task for women who were 8 weeks postpartum, which included either a financial or social reward or loss feedback. Social rewards were visually represented by a green arrow and a photo of the participants’ infants, and social loss was represented by a red arrow and a photo of rocks.

The researchers analyzed electroencephalography data to assess correlations between monetary and social reward positivity, as well as correlations between reward type and anxiety and depression symptoms.

In this exclusive video interview at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference, Cárdenas discusses the results of their analyses.

Reference:

• Cárdenas E, et al. An examination of social and monetary reward responsiveness in postpartum women and associations with depression and anxiety. Presented at: Anxiety & Depression Association of America Conference; April 13-16, 2023; Washington, D.C.