Presentation Master's thesis - Isabel Boere - Clinical Psychology

This thesis investigates the impact of betrayal on mental health, particularly focusing on the role of emotional intensity, neuroticism and avoidance in the development of depression symptoms among students. Betrayal, defined as harm by a trusted person or institution, often leads to severe psychological distress, including trust issues, emotional detachment, fear, and shame. Students, already facing academic pressures, may experience heightened emotional distress from betrayal, potentially resulting in depression. Emotional intensity during recall of betrayal is crucial for assessing the psychological impact, as high intensity can indicate unresolved trauma, greater risk of persistent symptoms, and increased likelihood of avoidance behaviour.

Using a cross-sectional research design, the study involved 28 students from the University of Amsterdam who reported ongoing struggles with betrayal. Emotional intensity, depression symptoms, neuroticism, and avoidance behaviour were measured using validated questionnaires. Results revealed no significant correlation between emotional intensity during recall and depression symptoms. Additionally, neuroticism did not moderate the relationship between emotional intensity and depression symptoms or avoidance behaviour. The mediation analysis also showed that avoidance behaviour did not mediate the relationship between emotional intensity and depression symptoms. These findings suggest that emotional intensity alone is not a significant predictor of depression symptoms, either directly or indirectly through avoidance behaviour.