The hopelessness theory of depression: A test of the diathesis-stress and causal mediation components in third and seventh grade children

The goal of the current study was to test the diathesis-stress and causal mediation components of the hopelessness theory of depression in third and seventh grade children. The procedure involved an initial assessment of depressive symptomatology, hopelessness, and the three cognitive styles posited as vulnerability factors by hopelessness theory. The procedure also involved a series of six weekly follow-up assessments in which depressive symptomatology, hopelessness, and the occurrence of negative events were assessed. Depressed children were more likely than nondepressed children (1) to attribute negative events to global and stable causes, (2) to perceive negative events as having many disastrous consequences, and (3) to view themselves as flawed or deficient after the occurrence of negative events. In addition, a depressogenic attributional style interacted with negative events to predict increases in depressive symptomatology in seventh grade children but not in third grade children. A depressogenic inferential style about consequences interacted with negative events to predict increases in depressive symptomatology in both third and seventh grade children. Last, a depressogenic inferential style about the self interacted with negative events to predict increases in depression in third and seventh grade girls but not boys. None of these interactions were mediated by hopelessness