The Influence of Dysphoria and Depression on Mental State Decoding

Abstract

Prior research found conflicting results concerning the relationship between depression and mental state decoding ability as assessed by the ‘Eyes Test’ developed by Baron-Cohen and colleagues. In some studies the relationship is negative, suggesting that depressed persons are worse than controls in decoding mental states on the basis of information from the eye region of others' faces. Other research points to a positive relation between depression and mental state decoding. We report a study of mental state decoding ability in two samples of university students, one a group of students attending the university's counseling service, the other a group of normal college students. The results are consistent in showing a negative relation between depression and mental state decoding ability. Possible reasons for discrepancies in research results are discussed.