Date of Completion

Spring 5-1-2026

Thesis Advisor(s)

Stephanie Milan

Honors Major

Psychological Sciences

Disciplines

Cognitive Psychology

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders among young adults, and its prevalence has continued to increase in recent years. Cognitive vulnerabilities are believed to play a significant role in the onset and maintenance of depressive symptoms. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between negative automatic thoughts and cognitive fusion as predictors of depressive symptom severity and course among psychologically vulnerable young adults. The study also explored how these constructs relate to the expression of negative core beliefs in participants’ open-ended written responses and whether these relationships differed by gender. Participants included 320 young adults recruited through Prolific who had a prior mental health diagnosis or history of mental health treatment. Participants completed baseline and follow-up assessments, as well as provided open-ended responses describing thoughts that interfered with daily functioning, which were coded for themes of negative core beliefs about oneself, others, and the world. Results indicated that cognitive fusion and negative automatic thoughts were strongly and positively correlated and that both variables independently predicted depressive symptoms, even when controlling for baseline depression. Additionally, it was found that higher levels of cognitive vulnerability were associated with greater expression of negative core beliefs within participants’ written responses. Although women reported higher overall depressive symptoms, gender was not found to moderate the relationship between cognitive vulnerabilities and depression outcomes. Findings suggest that both cognitive fusion and negative automatic thoughts are important, distinct predictors of depressive symptoms, and that interventions should address both maladaptive thought content and individuals’ relationships with their thoughts when treating and devising prevention efforts for depression among young adults.


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