Direct and Indirect Associations Between Episodic Future Thinking and Behavioural Activation Across the Depressive Symptom Spectrum

Major Depressive Disorder is a prevalent and debilitating mental health condition characterised by both deficits in behavioural activation level and a marked reduction in the ability to experience pleasure (i.e., anhedonia). Exploring the role of episodic future thinking (EFT) represents a promising direction, given its ability to enhance perceived control and anticipatory pleasure, both of which drive goal-directed behaviour. In the present study it was hypothesised that EFT characteristics—specificity, detail, and mental imagery—would be indirectly associated with greater self-reported behavioural activation level through increased perceived control and anticipatory pleasure. This was tested using path analysis models in a cross-sectional sample of 284 participants (aged 18-79; M = 39.72, SD = 13.27), including a full spectrum of depressive symptoms, from normal range to mild, moderate, and severe levels. As predicted, we found that EFT specificity and a composite imagery-detail variable were positively associated with perceived control, and imagery-detail was positively associated with anticipatory pleasure. EFT variables were also indirectly associated with higher behavioural activation scores through perceived control and anticipatory pleasure. Notably, the indirect effect of EFT specificity on behavioural activation through perceived control was significantly stronger in individuals with higher symptom levels, providing novel insights into the moderating role of depression. Our findings underscore the potential of EFT to enhance therapies focused on increasing behavioural activation by more effectively targeting anticipatory pleasure and, crucially, perceived control, particularly in those experiencing more severe depressive symptoms.