Original scientific paper

Relationship between attributional dimensions, negative life events and depression: A “hopelessness” model test

Ana Kurtović ; Katedra za psihologiju, Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta J. J. Strossmayera u Osijeku

Abstract

The “hopelessness” theory is a recent cognitive model of depression, according to which maladaptive attributional patterns in interaction with stress lead to the development and aggravation of depressive symptoms. It also suggests that attributional patterns and their interaction with stress are closely related to the specific constellation of symptoms, called “hopelessness depression”, than to general depressive symptoms.
The purpose of this study was to test the etiological predictions of the “hopelessness depression” theory on a sample of early to middle adolescents. The sample consisted of 419 students attending 7th and 8th grade of primary school, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade of high school.
The results showed that attributional dimensions for negative events are related to symptoms of both depression and “hopelessness depression”, but after the effect of self-esteem was partialed out, stability, internality and globality of causes for negative events predicted only symptoms of “hopelessness depression”, while having no effect on general depressive symptoms.
Also, interaction of stability, internality and globality of causes with negative events predicted only symptoms of “hopelessness depression”, and not general depressive symptoms. The results did not support the assumption that “hopelessness” is a mediator in the association between negative attributions – stress interaction and “hopelessness depression” symptoms.

Keywords

“Hopelessness” theory; depression; “hopelessness depression”; attributional dimensions

Hrčak ID:

20540

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/20540

Publication date:

1.12.2007.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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