Early predictors of helpless thoughts and behaviors in children: developmental precursors to depressive cognitions.
Learned helplessness behavior and cognitions were assessed in 95 kindergarten-age children during a series of impossible puzzle trials followed by a solvable puzzle trial. Latent growth curve analysis revealed reliable individual differences in the trajectories of children's affect, motivation, and self-cognitions over time. Parents' reports of negative life events, harsh/negative parenting, and warm/positive parenting were associated with their children's learned helplessness behavioral trajectories and outcomes over the course of the puzzle trials. Results support speculations about the developmental origins of depressive explanatory or attributional style in children.
Cole
David A
DA
Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203-5701, USA. david.cole@vanderbilt.edu
Warren
Dana E
DE
Dallaire
Danielle H
DH
Lagrange
Beth
B
Travis
Rebekah
R
Ciesla
Jeffrey A
JA
D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D013997:Time Factors