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Pessimistic attributional style: is it specific to depression versus anxiety versus negative affect?
A G Luten1, J A Ralph, S Mineka
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush-Presbyterian St, Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|August 1, 1997
Summary
Pessimistic attributional style is linked to increased negative emotions and depressed mood in college students. This cognitive style acts as a general vulnerability for experiencing both anxiety and depression symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Pessimistic attributional style is a cognitive vulnerability.
- Its relationship with emotional distress requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the link between pessimistic attributional style and affect/mood in college students.
- To test the diathesis-stress model of the reformulated helplessness theory.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involving college students.
- Correlational analyses examining attributional style, positive/negative affect, and mood.
- Longitudinal assessment in the second study.
Main Results:
- Pessimistic attributional style correlated with negative affect and depressed mood.
- No significant relationship was found with low positive affect.
- Pessimistic style also correlated with anxiety and predicted symptoms for both depression- and anxiety-relevant events.
Conclusions:
- Pessimistic attributional style is a nonspecific diathesis for anxiety and depression symptoms.
- Findings support cognitive theories of depression and anxiety.
- Implications for understanding emotional distress vulnerability.