The hopelessness theory of depression: a test of the diathesis-stress and causal mediation components in third and seventh grade children.
The goal of the current study was to test the diathesis-stress and causal mediation components of the hopelessness theory of depression in third- and seventh-grade children. The procedure involved an initial assessment of depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and the 3 cognitive styles posited as vulnerability factors by hopelessness theory. The procedure also involved a series of 6 weekly follow-up assessments in which depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and the occurrence of negative events were assessed. A depressogenic attributional style interacted with negative events to predict increases in depressive symptoms in seventh-grade children but not in third-grade children. A depressogenic inferential style about consequences interacted with negative events to predict increases in depressive symptoms in both third- and seventh-grade children. Last, a depressogenic inferential style about the self interacted with negative events to predict increases in depressive symptoms in third- and seventh-grade girls but not boys. None of these interactions were mediated by hopelessness.
Abela
J R
JR
Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D015143:Philadelphia; D011581:Psychological Tests; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*