Cognitive Biases, Anxiety, and Depression Among Adolescents (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Counselors

Course By: Ken Springer, PhD

Content By:  Songco, A., Booth, C., Spiegler, O., Parsons, S., & Fox, E. (2020). Anxiety and depressive symptom trajectories in adolescence and the co-occurring development of cognitive biases: Evidence from the CogBIAS Longitudinal Study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, (48), 1617-1633.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-020-00694-9

Course Description:  Cognitive biases are known to promote anxiety and depression, but few studies have explored how relationships among these variables emerge over time. The present study used longitudinal methods to study the development of memory and interpretation biases, anxiety, and depression during adolescence. Based on cognitive tasks and self-report questionnaires completed over a four-period, the authors identified four distinct developmental trajectories. The largest group of adolescents exhibited low levels of both cognitive biases as well as anxiety and depression. A second group of adolescents exhibited decreasing anxiety and interpretation bias, but increasing memory bias. A third group exhibited increases in both types of bias as well as in anxiety and depression. A fourth group exhibited decreases in both types of bias as well as in anxiety and depression. The results have implications for prevention and intervention efforts that target cognitive biases among adolescents.   

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the theoretical framework in which cognitive biases are expected to contribute to the onset and maintenance of anxiety and depression
2. Describe the methodology and main findings of the study with respect to four distinct trajectories through which cognitive biases, anxiety, and depression develop during adolescence
3. Integrate the strengths and limitations of the study, and summarize the clinical implications for prevention and intervention related to anxiety and depression among adolescents

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Anxiety and depressive symptom trajectories in adolescence and the co-occurring development of cognitive biases: Evidence from the CogBIAS Longitudinal Study
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Analyze the theoretical framework of the study, as well as the use of cognitive tasks and questionnaires to gather data longitudinally
• Integrate the study's key findings, strengths, limitations, and clinical implications
• Work through the post-test questions, using the article as the sole basis for your answers
• Revisit the article for any missed questions and/or to better distinguish among the four trajectories through which cognitive biases, anxiety, and depression develop during adolescence

Approvals: