UCLA Depression Grand Challenge Co-Director Michelle Craske, PhD, was featured in a May 6, 2026, Washington Post article about positive affect treatment, a therapy designed to target anhedonic depression, a severe type of depression which affects individuals’ ability to feel pleasure or enjoyment.
Craske discussed evidence that positive affect treatment may help reduce anhedonia by engaging brain regions associated with anticipating and experiencing positive events.
“There are definite neurobiological pathways that we’re tapping into here with this treatment,” Craske told the Washington Post.
The article also highlighted recent clinical trial findings suggesting that positive affect treatment may help improve positive emotions and reduce negative emotions among people experiencing depression and anxiety.
