# Integrated Reward Sensitivity and Rumination Model of Stress Reactivity and Depression Symptoms

> **NIH NIH F31** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2020 · $31,174

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Given that depression is among the leading causes of impairment, a better understanding of the mechanisms
that confer risk for its development is crucial. Although existing depression research has evaluated
psychological and biological risk factors, much work has studied these factors in isolation. Further, few studies
account for potential differential associations between risk factors and specific symptoms, which is possible
due to advances in network modeling. This proposal seeks to integrate several risk factors into a multimodal
model of depression etiology, utilizing a multi-method design to evaluate reward sensitivity and rumination as
predictors of inflammatory reactivity to a reward-salient stress task and depressive symptoms. The project is
designed to 1) evaluate the interplay between reward sensitivity and rumination in predicting inflammatory
stress reactivity and depressive symptoms, 2) test whether inflammatory stress reactivity accounts for a
significant indirect effect between both i) reward sensitivity and ii) rumination and later depressive symptoms,
and 3) explore how reward sensitivity and rumination predict discrete symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers
(and vice-versa) using network modeling. Given that emerging adults are at risk for both first onset and
recurrence of depressive episodes, participants (Ps) in the study will be undergraduate students recruited from
an ongoing online screener. Ps have completed measures of trait reward sensitivity, trait rumination, and
baseline symptoms. Ps will be over-sampled for high and low reward sensitivity from the previous semester's
respondents to increase the likelihood of extreme responses to the reward-salient stress task and risk for
depressive symptoms. Selected Ps will complete a medical phone screener. Ps without a history of
autoimmune disease will be recruited for a study visit in which they complete the medical screener again, a
reward-salient stress task, a measure of post-task state rumination, and a diagnostic interview. Blood will be
taken pre- and post-stressor to be assayed for inflammatory biomarkers. Ps will complete follow-up measures
of depressive symptoms, trait reward sensitivity, and trait rumination one-week post-visit. Consistent with the
NIMH Strategic Objectives and NIMH Research Domain Criteria, this multi-method study proposes to identify
the interplay between risk mechanisms and pathophysiological processes to inform prevention and intervention
(Strategic Objective 3) and to define mechanisms of complex behaviors transdiagnostically (Strategic Objective
1) with network analysis, using multiple units of analysis (physiology, self-report, behavior) to evaluate
vulnerability to stress reactivity and depressive symptoms at both ends of the reward sensitivity dimension. A
training plan has been designed that includes formal classwork, workshops, experiential learning, and
mentorship in the etiology of depression, stress, network anal...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9991271
- **Project number:** 1F31MH122116-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel P Moriarity
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $31,174
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-26 → 2022-02-25

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9991271

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9991271, Integrated Reward Sensitivity and Rumination Model of Stress Reactivity and Depression Symptoms (1F31MH122116-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9991271. Licensed CC0.

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