Reducing Anhedonia in Major Depressive Disorder with Future Event Specificity Training (FEST): A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Improving future thinking, such as characteristics of specificity, detail, and use of mental imagery, may be one means to reduce anhedonia, particularly in a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in which future thinking is impaired. The current study aimed to test this using a validated program, Future Event Specificity Training (FEST). Methods: Participants (N = 177; 80.8% women; M age = 43.7, SD = 11.8) with a current depressive episode with anhedonia and high symptom severity were randomized to FEST or no FEST. Future thinking, anhedonia-related variables, and other clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, one- and three-month follow-up. Results: Relative to the control group, FEST was associated with significantly improved future thinking characteristics, a reduced likelihood of anhedonia (35.1% vs. 61.1%, p =.015), improvements on other anhedonia-related variables such as anticipatory (d = 0.63, p =.004) and anticipated pleasure for future events (d = 0.77, p