Social decision-making in adolescent girls : affective responses and behaviour in an ultimatum game

Depression has been associated with impairments in social functioning, particularly for adolescent girls, who show increased vulnerability to interpersonal difficulties during this developmental period. Altered social decision-making and affective responses to social situations represent two possible mechanisms through which depression may be linked to social functioning during adolescence. In a sample of 140 adolescent girls aged 13-15, we assessed Ultimatum Game behaviour (offers and acceptance decisions) and affective responses (anticipated levels of happiness, anger, and sadness) to hypothetical fair and unfair interactions. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Child Depression Inventory. Greater depressive symptoms were associated with greater anticipated negative affect (anger, sadness) in response to unfair, but not fair, offers. There was little evidence of an association between depression and either offering behaviour or acceptance decisions. It is possible that heightened sensitivity to perceived unfairness may contribute to interpersonal conflict or social withdrawal, even in the absence of observable differences in decision-making behaviour. These findings highlight the importance of targeting affective responses to social interactions in interventions aimed at improving social functioning among adolescent girls with elevated depressive symptoms.