Episodic future thinking and psychopathology: A focus on depression and suicide risk

Episodic future thinking (EFT), the ability to imagine future autobiographical events, is both an everyday and clinically significant cognitive process. With a focus on depression and suicidality, here we discuss evidence connecting EFT with psychopathology. Emotional valence of imagined future even...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in psychology 2024-10, Vol.59, p.101853, Article 101853
Main Authors: Nam, Rachel J., Lowry, Nathan J., Lawrence, Olivia C., Novotny, Layne J., Cha, Christine B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cognitive bias
Depression
Episodic future thinking
Self-harm
Suicide
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Summary:Episodic future thinking (EFT), the ability to imagine future autobiographical events, is both an everyday and clinically significant cognitive process. With a focus on depression and suicidality, here we discuss evidence connecting EFT with psychopathology. Emotional valence of imagined future events has emerged as the most widely established feature of EFT detected to date, with less positive EFT being associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This pattern may not be merely a byproduct of sadness or anhedonia. Promising directions for future research include clarifying the temporal association between EFT and clinical outcomes, investigating the potential benefits and drawbacks of positive EFT, and refining assessments for youth to measure EFT either preceding or soon after onset of psychopathology.
ISSN:2352-250X
2352-250X
DOI:10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101853