Psychological Well‐Being and Anticipated Positive Personal Events: Their Relationship to Depression

Abstract

The treatment of depression is thought to be more effective when it enhances psychological well-being as well as reducing dysfunction. In the present study, all dimensions of psychological well-being were lower in depressed participants with particularly marked deficits in environmental mastery and self-acceptance, suggesting that these may be particularly important treatment targets. People with depression show specific deficits in being able to anticipate future positive events. The present study suggests that anticipated well-being linked to positive relationships with other people may be particularly impacted by the lack of anticipated future events found in depression.