Abstract
Upon admission to a hospital treatment program, clinically depressed and nondepressed children (aged 9–17 years) were assessed on measures of attributional style, hopelessness, depression, life stress, and child temperament. The depressed group tended to attribute positive events to specific and unstable factors when compared with the nondepressed sample. Group differences also were found on child temperament measures. However, no differences were reported between the diagnostic groups on self-reported depression, hopelessness, or life stress. The findings suggested that there may not be a unique constellation of cognitive characteristics in depressed children when compared with a nondepressed clinical sample. For both depressed and nondepressed groups, treatment did appear to affect self-reported depression and overall ratings of depressogenic attributional style.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, L. Y., & Metalsky, G. I. (1983).The reformulated model of learned helplessness: Does the research test theory? Unpublished manuscript, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Abramson, L., Seligman, M., & Teasdale, J. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans; Critique reformulation.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 49–74.
Bates, J. E., & Bayles, K. (1984). Objective and subjective components in mothers' Perceptions of their children from age 6 months to 3 years.Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 30, 111–130.
Blumberg, M. L. (1981). Depression in abused and neglected children.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 35, 1981.
Blumberg, S. H., & Izard, C. E. (1985). Affective and cognitive characteristics of depression in 10- and 11-year-old children.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49, 194–202.
Bruning, J., & Kintz, B. (1968).Computational handbook of statistics. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman.
Cantwell, D. P. (1983). Depression in childhood: Clinical picture and diagnostic criteria. In D. P. Cantwell & G. A. Carlson (Eds.),Affective disorders in childhood and adolescence (pp. 3–18). Jamaica, New York: Spectrum.
Chess, S., & Thomas, A. (1984).Origins and evolution of behavior disorders from infancy to early adult life. New York: Brunner/Mazel.
Coddington, R. D. (1972). The significance of life events as etiologic factors in the diseases of children.Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 16, 7–18.
Crook, T., & Raskin, A. (1975). Association of childhood parental loss with attempted suicide and depression.Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 43, 277–282.
Dweck, C. S., Davidson, W., Nelson, S., & Enna, B. (1978). Sex differences in learned helplessness: II. The contingencies of evaluative feedback in the classroom and III. An experimental analysis.Developmental Psychology, 14, 268–276.
Eme, R. F. (1979). Sex differences in childhood psychopathology: A review.Psychological Bulletin, 86, 574–595.
Guy, W. (1976, revised).ECDEU Assessment Manual for Psychopharmacology. U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, DHEW Publication No. (ADM) 76–338.
Hamilton, E. W., & Abramson, L. Y. (1983). Cognitive patterns and major depressive disorder: A longitudinal study in hospital setting.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92, 173–184.
Kashani, J. H., Husain, A., Shekim, W. D., Hodges, K. K., Cytryn, L., & Mcknew, D. H. (1981). Childhood depression: An overview.American Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 143–152.
Kaslow, N. J., Rehm, L. P., Pollack, S. L., & Siegel, A. W. (1987).Attributional style and self-control behavior in depressed and nondepressed children and their parents. Unpublished manuscript, Yale University.
Kaslow, N. J., Rehm, L. P., & Siegel, A. W. (1984). Social and cognitive correlates of depression in children: A developmental perspective.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 12, 605–620.
Kaslow, N. J., Tannenbaum, R. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1978).The KASTAN: A children's attributional style questionnaire. Unpublished manuscript, University of Pennsylvania.
Kazdin, A. E., Colbus, D., & Rodgers, A. (1986). Assessment of depression and diagnosis of depressive disorder among psychiatrically disturbed children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 14, 499–515.
Kazdin, A. E., French, N. H., Unis, A. S., Esveldt-Dawson, K., & Sherick, R. B. (1983). Hopelessness, depression, and suicidal intent among psychiatrically disturbed inpatient children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 504–510.
Kazdin, A., & Petti, T. A. (1982). Self-report and interview measures of childhood and adolescent depression.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 23, 437–457.
Keogh, B. K. (1971). A compensatory model for psychoeducational evaluation of children with learning disorders.Journal of Learning Disabilities, 4(10), 544–548.
Keogh, B. K. (1983). Individual differences in temperament: A contribution to the personalsocial and educational competence of learning disabled children. In J. D. McKinney & L. Feagens (Eds.),Current topics in learning disabilities. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex.
Keogh, B. K., Pullis, M. E., & Cadwell, J. (1979).Psychometric analysis of the Teacher Temperament Questionnaire. REACH report, University of California, Los Angeles.
Kovacs, M. (1980/1981). Rating scales to assess depression in school-aged children.Acta Paedopsychiatrica, 23, 437–457.
Kovacs, M., & Beck, A. T. (1977). An empirical clinical approach toward definition of childhood depression. In J. G. Schulterbrand & A. Raskin (Eds.),Depression in childhood: Diagnosis, treatment, and conceptual models (DHEW Public No. ADM 77-476, pp. 1–26). Rockville, Maryland: National Institute of Mental Health.
Lefkowitz, M. M., & Burton, N. (1978). Childhood depression: A critique of the concept.Psychological Bulletin, 85, 716–726.
Lesse, S. (1981). Hypochondriacal and psychosomatic disorders masking depression in adolescents.American Journal of Psychotherapy, 35, 356–367.
Mullins, L. L., Siegel, L. J., & Hodges, K. (1985). Cognitive problem-solving and life event correlates of depressive symptoms in children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 13, 305–314.
Orvaschel, H., Weissman, M. M., & Kidd, K. R. (1980). Children and depression.Journal of Affective Disorders, 2, 1–16.
Overall, J., & Pfefferbaum, B. (1982). The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children.Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 18, 10–16.
Pfouts, J. M., Schopler, J. M., & Henley, H. C. (1982). Forgotten victims of family violence.Social Work, 24, 367–388.
Puig-Antich, J. (1980). Affective disorders in childhood: A review and perspective.Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 3, 403–424.
Radloff, L. S., & Rae, D. S. (1979). Susceptibility and precipitating factors in depression: Sex differences and similarities.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 88, 174–181.
Rehm, L. P. (1977). A self-control model of depression.Behavior Therapy, 8, 787–804.
Rie, H. E. (1966). Depression in childhood: A survey of some pertinent contributors.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 5, 653–685.
Seligman, M. E. P., Kaslow, N. J., Allow, L. B., Peterson, C., Tannenbaum, R. L., & Abramson, L. W. (1984). Attributional style and depressive symptoms in children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 235–238.
Seligman, M. E. P., Peterson, C., Kaslow, N. J., Tannenbaum, R. L., Allow, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (in press). Exploratory style and depressive symptoms in children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 242–247.
Thomas, A., Chess, S., & Birch, H. G. (1968).Temperament and behavior disorders in children. New York: N.Y.U. Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benfield, C.Y., Palmer, D.J., Pfefferbaum, B. et al. A comparison of depressed and nondepressed disturbed children on measures of attributional style, hopelessness, life stress, and temperament. J Abnorm Child Psychol 16, 397–410 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00914171
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00914171