State Anhedonia in Young Healthy Adults: Psychometric Properties of the German Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) and Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Healthy reward processing is a complex interplay of several components. Recent self-report measures anhedonia, the decrease or loss hedonic capacity, take this complexity into account. The Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) interest, motivation, effort and consummatory pleasure across four domains: hobbies, food/drink, social activities sensory experiences. In present cross-sectional survey study, we validated German version DARS in sample 557 young healthy adults. Factor structure as well convergent divergent validity were assessed. As secondary aim, examined effects COVID-19 pandemic on state anhedonia depression severity. Our results suggest good high internal consistency DARS. original differentiation factors mapping onto domains was confirmed measurement invariance before during established. We conclude that valid instrument to comprehensively assess samples. Future studies should further utility clinical contexts. line with many previous studies, participants reported significantly higher levels depressive symptoms compared months before. found no indication affected capacity.