Dimensions of dysfunctional attitudes as vulnerabilities to depressive symptoms

Empirical tests of the diathesis-stress component of A. T. Beck's (1976; A. T. Beck, A. J. Rush, B. F. Shaw, & G. Emery, 1979) cognitive theory of depression have generally not yielded positive results. The resulting focus on conceptual and methodological concerns has diverted attention from the more fundamental issue of how validly vulnerability is measured. The present investigation uses the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS; A. N. Weissman, 1979; A. N. Weissman & Beck, 1978), the most commonly used measure of vulnerability in this area, but adopts a more in-depth approach by examining DAS factors in addition to the typical total score. This study involved a sample of undergraduates who had never before taken a college-level examination. The dimension of the DAS measured by the Perfectionistic Achievement factor had the strongest relationship to increased depressive symptoms in response to poorer-than-expected performance on the examination. Implications for future research in this area are discussed.