Mild Depression

1
Mild Depression Neurocognitive Functioning in
College FreshmenKaren Eisenmenger, B.A. and
Richard R. J. Lewine, Ph.D.University of
Louisville

• Introduction
• Most depression research has
• focused on the symptoms
• and treatments of major depression,
• neglecting to consider the possible
• ramifications of milder forms of the
• disorder. In this study, we decided
• to examine the association of mild
• levels of depression and
• neurocognitive functioning in
• college students.
• Methods
• The study participants were 56
• college students, mainly freshmen,
• enrolled in a general Psychology
• course. They completed a battery
• of neurocognitive tests and self-
• report questionnaires of depression,
• hopelessness, and suicidal ideation.

minimal depression revealed that the mild
depression group had significantly lower CVLT
learning scores than the no depression group.
Recall was significantly affected in short and
long delays, as well as in free and cued recall.
Short-delay free recall t(49) -1.80, plt0.08
short-delay cued recall t(49) -2.31, plt0.03
long-delay free recall t(49) -2.47, plt0.02
and long-delay cued recall t(49) -2.21,
plt0.03. The learning slope trial results were
also significantly impacted t(49)-3.59,
plt0.00.
Conclusions Even students with mild depression
performed significantly more poorly than those
with no depression. The majority of these
differences are related to working memory for
verbal recall of words or working memory for
verbal solving of arithmetic problems, or
learning, in other words.