Depressive Mood Induction: The Reactivity of Positive Affect.

Mood induction procedures have been widely used as laboratory analogues of depression. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Velten depression mood induction (VMI) procedure and a personal recall depression induction (PRI) procedure. In contrast to prior research, mood was assessed in terms of two independent dimensions: positive affect and negative affect. College students (N=31) were assigned to one of two groups. Group I completed the VMI and then, one week later, completed the PRI. Subjects in Group II participated in the PRI first and the VMI one week later. Subjects completed the Mood Checklist and were assessed at three points (preinduction, immediately postinduction, and one hour after induction). Analyses showed that both mood induction procedures were equally effective. Significant differences were found, however, for the two affect dimensions with positive affect more reactive than negative affect at the immediate posttest and one hour posttest assessments. These results clearly support the importance of the positive affect dimension in the study of depression. (Author/NB)