The bottom line: A brief 20-minute reframing exercise that challenges the idea of depression as weakness increased goal progress from 43%–64% over two weeks. By reducing internalised stigma and strengthening self efficacy, this low cost intervention could improve recovery, confidence and well being after depression. Mental health services and digital support tools should consider incorporating strength based reframing to support sustained goal pursuit beyond symptom relief.
For many people who have experienced depression, the struggle does not end when symptoms ease. A quieter burden often lingers: the belief that depression reflects personal weakness. New research suggests that challenging this narrative can significantly improve goal pursuit and confidence among people who have faced depression. The findings were published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Around 1 in 10 people worldwide will experience at least one depressive episode in their lifetime. Depression is linked to reduced motivation, lower self belief and difficulty pursuing work, relationships and personal ambitions. Yet beyond symptoms themselves, researchers argue that social stigma may quietly deepen these difficulties.
Explaining the motivation behind the study, Christina A. Bauer, PhD, a social psychologist at the University of Vienna, said: “Before our study, it was not clear why people who have experienced depression can experience goal pursuit problems even after their depressive symptoms have faded. We wanted to see why that is and if there is anything we could do about this.”
The study examined the impact of what they describe as an inherent weakness narrative. This common social message frames depression as a sign that someone is fundamentally weak and unlikely to succeed. The researchers tested whether reframing depression as a source of strength could alter how people approach their goals.
Bauer noted: “We show that in addition to the symptoms of depression, stigmatising narratives about depression, the idea that people who have experienced depression are weak people, can undermine successful goal pursuit, too. Even when depression is over, people can, based on stigmatizing societal narratives, still think they are weak people, which can undermine their confidence in themselves and make goal pursuit more difficult.”
Across three randomised controlled experiments involving 748 adults who had experienced depression, participants completed either a brief depression reframing exercise or a control task. The exercise took around 20 minutes and encouraged participants to reflect on strengths they had developed while coping with depression, such as resilience, perseverance and emotional insight.
In the first two experiments, those who completed the reframing task reported significantly higher general self efficacy. They felt more confident in their ability to achieve goals in life compared with participants who read neutral information about depression.
In the second experiment, participants were asked to identify a personal goal they hoped to achieve within two weeks. These ranged from improving physical health and completing work tasks to managing daily responsibilities. Only 1% chose a goal directly related to depression or mental health.
Those in the reframing group were more confident they could complete their chosen goal and expressed stronger commitment to it. The researchers found that the intervention reduced the perception that depression is incompatible with qualities such as motivation, discipline and determination. In the control group, 71% believed that strengths needed for success did not describe people dealing with depression well. The reframing exercise reduced this to 52%.
Reflecting on the practical implications, Bauer said: “Better acknowledging one’s strength in the face of depression can help. When you or your loved ones experience depression, do not overlook the strength it often takes to deal with depression, to fight the urge to stay in bed all day and to continue living one’s life despite all the obstacles depression brings with it. This reframing of depression we developed can help people better see their strength and pursue their goals in life, as we show.”
The third experiment followed participants for two weeks to examine real world progress. The results were striking. At follow up, those in the control group reported being 43% complete with their goal. Those who completed the depression reframing exercise reported 64% completion, representing a 49% increase in progress.
Importantly, the benefits were not limited to people with mild symptoms. The intervention improved confidence across varying levels of current depression severity. The average boost in general self efficacy was nearly as large as the difference typically observed between people with moderate and severe depressive symptoms.
Participants who completed the exercise also anticipated showing greater self compassion if they experienced a relapse. However, life satisfaction did not significantly change over the two week period.
Looking ahead, Bauer added: “To see how this reframing, that is, better acknowledging the strength of people with illness, may extend and be useful to other people in difficult situations, for example, people who experienced trauma or have non psychological illnesses, such as a heart attack. These people are all sometimes portrayed as weak, so could better acknowledging their strengths be useful to them?”
The findings suggest that mental health stigma does more than shape public attitudes. It may actively undermine goal pursuit among people who have experienced depression. A brief, scalable intervention that reframes depression as evidence of strength rather than weakness could offer a practical addition to mental health support, particularly in digital or low resource settings.