The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Anhedonia, Exposure to Rewards, and Reward System Functioning

Questionnaires and a daily diary paradigm examined the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on psychological symptoms and exposure to and responsiveness to rewards. Results highlight key impacts on anhedonia, frequency of certain rewards, and reward responsivity, supporting reward system functioning as key target to mitigate against the pandemic’s negative mental health impact.