The implications of reinforcement sensitivity theory for depression and anxiety

"The current study examined the implications of Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory for internalizing psychopathology. Previous research indicates that low activation of the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) predicts depression and high activation of the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) predicts anxiety and in some studies depression. However, few studies have examined BIS/BAS levels in relation to both depressive and anxious symptomatology. A sample of 285 undergraduates was administered questionnaires that tap BIS and BAS activation and internalizing symptoms. General distress and anxious arousal scores were collapsed into one symptom category because results indicated that the measure of psychopathology did not discriminate the two. Higher BIS activation predicted all types of internalizing psychopathology, lower BAS predicted anhedonic depression, and negative life events predicted anxious arousal and general distress. BIS, BAS and life events interacted to predict both symptom groups, and these results are discussed in terms of the Joint Subsystems Hypothesis."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.