Sign in Subscribe
Childhood mental disorders

Reward-Seeking Behaviors May Aid in Reducing Risks of Depression in Adolescents Experiencing Early Life Adversity

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A recent study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience has shed light on the association between early life adversity (ELA) and anhedonia, a predictor of adolescent depression. The research found that approximately 20% of adolescents experience anhedonia, which is linked to a higher risk of developing depression. The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Center for Research Resources, and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, examined the role of reward-seeking behaviors in moderating the prospective association between ELA and anhedonia.

Key Takeaways:

  • Early life adversity (ELA) is associated with an increased risk of experiencing anhedonia, a predictor of adolescent depression.
  • Approximately 20% of adolescents report experiencing anhedonia, which is linked to a higher risk of developing depression.
  • Reward-seeking behaviors may aid in distinguishing which youth with ELA are at risk for depression.
  • The study found that ELA is associated with increased anhedonia 12-months later, suggesting that ELA confers risk for developing anhedonia.
  • Reward-seeking behavior moderated this association, such that adolescents with more experiences of ELA and low reward-seeking behavior were at a higher risk for anhedonia.
  • The study suggests that increasing reward-seeking behaviors may help mitigate the risks of developing anhedonia in adolescents who have experienced ELA.
  • The research highlights the importance of early intervention and targeted interventions to address the needs of adolescents who have experienced ELA.

Statistics:

  • 20% of adolescents report experiencing anhedonia.
  • 74 participants, aged 11-17, completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) to measure reward-seeking behaviors.
  • ELA was assessed continuously via parent-report using a 9-item Adversity Childhood Experiences questionnaire, with scores reflecting cumulative exposures to adversity prior to enrollment.
  • Adolescents with greater ELA reported more anhedonia 12-months later (b = 0.97, SE = 0.46, p = 0.04).
  • Reward-seeking behavior moderated this association, such that adolescents with more experiences of ELA and low (b = 2.35, SE = 0.61, p = 0.01) or high (b = 4.15, SE = 0.65, p = 0.003) reward-seeking behavior were at a higher risk for anhedonia.

Sources:

  • Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. 2025. Reward-seeking behaviors moderate the association between early life adversity and anhedonia 12 months later.
  • Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. 2025; p 613. Study Findings on Behavioral Neuroscience Are Outlined in Reports from University of California (Reward-seeking behaviors moderate the association between early life adversity and anhedonia 12 months later).

Read more