Investigating the Effect of Mental Imagery Future Based Episodic Simulation on Subsequent Behavioural Engagement in Depressed, Dysphoric and Non-Depressed Individuals

Previous work has suggested that mental imagery may represent a useful strategy for motivating goal-directed behaviours. Given that individuals experiencing depression symptoms have low motivation to engage in pleasurable activities, this study aimed to explore the effect of mental imagery on activity engagement for pleasurable activities in non-depressed, dysphoric, and depressed individuals (N = 163). Participants selected four activities they wished to engage in and rated expected outcomes and anticipated emotions relating to activity completion before and after mental elaboration of each activity using either mental imagery or verbal reasoning. Over the following week, utilising ecological momentary assessment (EMA), participants recorded the frequency with which they engaged in their chosen activities. Results showed both conditions led to similar levels of behavioural engagement, across all participants, suggesting that both tasks may influence behavioural engagement. Research is now needed to investigate the underlying mechanism/s by which behavioural engagement is occurring.