Attributional style and depression: a controlled comparison of remitted unipolar and bipolar patients.
Attributional style was investigated in remitted affective disorder patients (23 unipolars and 26 bipolars) and 26 non-psychiatric controls. We found a specific cognitive vulnerability in unipolars. Unipolars attributed negative events to causes that were more stable--but not more internal nor more global--than bipolars and controls, and did not attach more importance to these events. Attributional vulnerability seemed more apparent in patients with longer histories of depression.
Tracy
A
A
Department of Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires de Bruxelles, Hôpital Erasme, Belgium.
Bauwens
F
F
Martin
F
F
Pardoen
D
D
Mendlewicz
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001290:Attitude; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012008:Recurrence
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate