Investigating the Impact of Anhedonia on Academic Performance: a Case Report

Abstract

Hiba AL-Assaf, Elaf AL-Tomma, Raghad Darkal and Ghena Najati

This case report represents a case of anhedonia in a university student (L) (a sixth-year medical school student at Al-Sham Private University, currently 23 years old, born in 2000).

(L)suffered from a significant loss of interest and pleasure in various aspects of her life, which led to academic, emotional, and social difficulties.

This study explores the impact of anhedonia on (L)'s academic performance using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale, where symptoms of anhedonia were evaluated along with semi-regulated interviews conducted every two weeks, and to monitor her academic performance we relied on her GPA and class attendance rate.

The initial interview focused on the onset of anhedonia and its academic consequences, while the follow-up interview aimed to track progress and evaluate Laila's social relationships. Our results indicated a significant decrease in (L)’s ability to experience pleasure, accompanied by a noticeable decrease in her academic performance. Intervention procedures included counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions, and behavioral activation techniques that were implemented by a specialized therapist, Dr. Ghena Najati. (L)’s symptoms gradually improved, leading to positive changes in her engagement, thinking patterns, motivations, and overall well-being.

The results highlight the usefulness of the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale in providing an accurate understanding of the impact of anhedonia and guiding interventions specifically designed to support affected students.

PDF