Adaptive Inferential Feedback, Depressogenic Inferences, and Depressed Mood: A Laboratory Study of the Expanded Hopelessness Theory of Depression

BackgroundMaladaptive cognitive biases such as negative attributional style and hopelessness have been implicated in the development and maintenance of depression. According to the hopelessness theory of depression, hopelessness mediates the association between attributional style and depression. The aetiological processes underpinning this influential theory remain unknown. The current study investigated genetic and environmental influences on hopelessness and its concurrent and longitudinal associations with attributional style and depression across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Furthermore, given high co-morbidity between depression and anxiety, the study investigated whether these maladaptive cognitions constitute transdiagnostic cognitive content common to both internalizing symptoms.MethodA total of 2619 twins/siblings reported attributional style (mean age 15 and 17 years), hopelessness (mean age 17 years), and depression and anxiety symptoms (mean age 17 and 20 years).ResultsPartial correlations revealed that attributional style and hopelessness were uniquely associated with depression but not anxiety symptoms. Hopelessness partially mediated the relationship between attributional style and depression. Hopelessness was moderately heritable (A = 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.28–0.47), with remaining variance accounted for by non-shared environmental influences. Independent pathway models indicated that a set of common genetic influences largely accounted for the association between attributional style, hopelessness and depression symptoms, both concurrently and across development.ConclusionsThe results provide novel evidence that associations between attributional style, hopelessness and depression symptoms are largely due to shared genetic liability, suggesting developmentally stable biological pathways underpinning the hopelessness theory of depression. Both attributional style and hopelessness constituted unique cognitive content in depression. The results inform molecular genetics research and cognitive treatment approaches.

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An Examination of the Symptom Component of the Hopelessness Theory of Depression in a Sample of Schoolchildren

Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1891/0889-8391.15.1.33 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 33-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

John R. Z. Abela ◽

David U. D’Alessandro

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Strong Support ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Hopelessness Theory ◽

Symptom Profile ◽

Hopelessness Depression ◽

Hopelessness Theory Of Depression ◽

Distinct Subtype

The hopelessness theory of depression hypothesizes the existence of a distinct subtype of depression, hopelessness depression, that may be identified by its unique symptom profile as well as by its specific etiology, course, and response to treatment. The goal of the current study was to examine the symptom component of the hopelessness theory in a sample of schoolchildren between the ages of 7 and 13. Three-hundred-and-seventy-three participants completed measures of hopelessness and depressive symptomatology. Hopelessness was significantly associated with all six hypothesized symptoms of hopelessness depression (100%) but with only two of the four non-hopelessness depression symptoms (50%). Further, when symptoms were evaluated in combination, hopelessness depression symptoms exhibited a significantly greater association with hopelessness than did non-hopelessness depression symptoms. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that symptoms that were associated with hopelessness formed independent factors when compared to symptoms not associated with hopelessness. Overall, the results provide strong support for the symptom component of the hopelessness theory in children.

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Operationalizing the “vulnerability” and “stress” components of the hopelessness theory of depression: A multi-wave longitudinal study

Behaviour Research and Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.brat.2005.11.010 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 44 (11) ◽

pp. 1565-1583 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

John R.Z. Abela ◽

Cristina Aydin ◽

Randy P. Auerbach

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Hopelessness Theory ◽

Stress Components ◽

Hopelessness Theory Of Depression

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The Hopelessness Theory of Depression: Clinical Utility and Generalizability

Cognitive Therapy and Research ◽

10.1007/s10608-017-9833-1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 543-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gerald J. Haeffel ◽

Rachel Hershenberg ◽

Jason T. Goodson ◽

Sascha Hein ◽

Amanda Square ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Utility ◽

Hopelessness Theory ◽

Hopelessness Theory Of Depression

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Is night eating syndrome associated with obstructive sleep apnea, BMI, and depressed mood in patients from a sleep laboratory study?

Eating Behaviors ◽

10.1016/j.eatbeh.2016.08.008 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. 115-119 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Allan Geliebter ◽

Haley McOuatt ◽

Cora B. Tetreault ◽

Dorina Kordunova ◽

Kathleen Rice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Obstructive Sleep Apnea ◽

Sleep Apnea ◽

Laboratory Study ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Sleep Laboratory ◽

Night Eating Syndrome ◽

Night Eating ◽

Obstructive Sleep

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A Longitudinal Examination of the Hopelessness Theory of Depression in People Who Have Multiple Sclerosis

Behavioural Neurology ◽

10.1155/2015/190405 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

I. I. Kneebone ◽

S. Guerrier ◽

E. Dunmore ◽

E. Jones ◽

C. Fife-Schaw

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Life Events ◽

Attributional Style ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Study Phase ◽

Hopelessness Theory ◽

Hopelessness Theory Of Depression ◽

Negative Attributional Style

Purpose. Hopelessness theory predicts that negative attributional style will interact with negative life events over time to predict depression. The intention of this study was to test this in a population who are at greater risk of negative life events, people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).Method. Data, including measures of attributional style, negative life events, and depressive symptoms, were collected via postal survey in 3 phases, each one a year apart.Results. Responses were received from over 380 participants at each study phase. Negative attributional style was consistently able to predict future depressive symptoms at low to moderate levels of association; however, this ability was not sustained when depressive symptoms at Phase 1 were controlled for. No substantial evidence to support the hypothesised interaction of negative attributional style and negative life events was found.Conclusions. Findings were not supportive of the causal interaction proposed by the hopelessness theory of depression. Further work considering other time frames, using methods to prime attributional style before assessment and specifically assessing the hopelessness subtype of depression, may prove to be more fruitful. Intervention directly to address attributional style should also be considered.

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