Recent Publications
These are just a few recent publications from the lab. For a complete listing of past and forthcoming publications, take a look at Dr. Harkness’s CV, here.
Latent Profile Analysis of Childhood Maltreatment and Neural Markers in Depression
Treatment response in major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly variable, likely due to its pathophysiological heterogeneity and multidetermined nature. To better capture this heterogeneity, we applied a mechanism-first latent profile analysis in a sample of 309 adults with MDD, identifying profiles—or latent “subtypes”—of depression based on childhood maltreatment, brain structure, and default mode network (DMN) connectivity. Four distinct subtypes emerged. The subtype characterized by high maltreatment, low neural volume, and DMN hypoconnectivity showed the poorest clinical outcomes, including the longest illness duration, most severe anhedonia, and lowest remission rates following an antidepressant treatment protocol. Notably, DMN hypoconnectivity was unique to this group, positioning it as a candidate biomarker of treatment resistance. In contrast, another high-maltreatment profile, but with preserved brain structure, had the highest remission rates. These results suggest that maltreatment does not uniformly lead to adverse clinical outcomes and that neurobiological resilience in the context of early adversity may serve as a marker of positive treatment response. More broadly, this work underscores the importance of addressing heterogeneity in MDD to improve prognostic modelling and inform precision intervention strategies.
Childhood Maltreatment Raises Risk for Sexual and Physical Assault in Adulthood
A history of abuse in childhood is widely regarded as the strongest risk factor for sexual and physical assault in adult relationships. In this large sample of adult women, we found evidence of specific associations based on the type of maltreatment and women’s sexual identity. In the full sample, the risk of re-victimization in adulthood was greatest in women with histories of childhood sexual abuse or father-perpetrated emotional and/or physical abuse. However, in the subsample of women identifying as plurisexual (i.e., attracted to more than one gender), the risk was greatest given a history of childhood sexual abuse or mother-perpetrated emotional and/or physical abuse.
How Theory of Mind Leads to Positive First Impressions
How does an abstract and internal skill like theory of mind lead others to form positive impressions of us in interaction? In this study, we brought pairs of strangers into the lab to complete a Lego-building task together. We found that people with greater theory of mind accuracy manifested behaviours during the task that indicated a sensitivity to others’ mental states and conversational skills. These behaviours significantly mediated the relation between theory of mind skill and partners’ ratings of how likeable they found the participant. This research shows that social-cognitive skills can affect others' social impressions through their real-world behavioural manifestations.
Hudson et al. (2024). Journal of Experimental Psychology: General