College students who are depressed and lonely report receiving fewer physiological and psychological benefits from social interactions compared to their peers who are less depressed and lonely, according to a study published in . psychophysiology.
Social interaction is essential to mental well-being, but people who suffer from depression or loneliness often derive less benefit from these experiences. Previous research has highlighted that depressive symptoms and loneliness lead to social withdrawal and reduced emotional reactivity to positive and negative stimuli, but the real-time physiological dynamics of these interactions are unclear. has not been studied yet.
Elisabeth Germa and colleagues aim to fill this gap using innovative and applied methods to explore how depression and loneliness affect emotions during interactions with romantic partners, close friends, and groups of friends. We investigated whether they form physical and physiological responses.
The study involved 118 racially and ethnically diverse students at a large Midwestern university who wore an Empatica E4 wristband on their non-dominant wrist for one to two weeks. . These wristbands continuously measured electrodermal activity (EDA), a marker of sympathetic nervous system arousal.
Participants completed an intake survey to assess baseline depressive symptoms and loneliness using the NIH Toolbox scales at the beginning of the study. The survey was conducted using a smartphone in the morning and evening every day. These surveys allow participants to recall their day’s activities, report social interactions (categorized as time spent with romantic partners, close friends, and friend groups), and assess their own emotions, including positive and negative emotions. I started to self-evaluate my condition. By dividing the day into 15-minute chunks, the researchers were able to connect self-reported experiences with real-time physiological data collected by wristbands.
The researchers found that social situations elicited distinct patterns of physiological arousal and emotional responses based on participants’ levels of depression and loneliness. Students who were less depressed and lonely reported less arousal in intimate settings, such as with romantic partners and close friends, suggesting that these interactions provided opportunities for relaxation and recovery. I’m doing it. In contrast, students who are severely depressed or lonely do not show similar reductions in arousal, indicating that they may have a hard time finding solace in these situations.
The opposite trend was observed for group interactions, with interactions with multiple friends being interpreted as having the effect of increasing alertness and energizing students who are less likely to feel depressed or lonely. However, in patients with more severe symptoms, increases in arousal were suppressed, highlighting a reduced ability to participate in and benefit from the excitement of group dynamics.
The authors noted that the study relied on self-reported data on emotional states, which could introduce bias. Furthermore, while the use of wrist-worn sensors is innovative, it may not capture the full complexity of physiological responses compared to more invasive means.
Overall, this study highlights the impact of mental health on the ability to derive emotional and physiological benefits from social interactions and suggests targeted interventions to support college students experiencing depression and loneliness. emphasizes the need for
the study, “Empathic arousal in depressed college students: An investigation of the interaction of psychopathology and social activity.” is written by Elizabeth Germa, Amy Chan, Bridget J. Goosby, and Jacob E. Cheadle.
