Depression : cognitive, social, environmental and emotional factors
Abstract
This work examined four issues, in relation to both the
experience of depression, and vulnerability to depression.
There were four empirical studies, each with two parts. The
first study examined the role of cognitions, such as
overgeneralizations (Beck, 1963; Beck et al, 1979), and
causal attributions (Abramson et al, 1978; Alloy et al, 1988).
Their role as symptoms of depression, and as possible
vulnerability factors, independent of current mood, was
examined. In the first part of the study, clinically
depressed patients, recovered subjects, and community control
subjects were interviewed and given questionnaires. In the
second part of the study a larger sample of students, some
of whom became mildly depressed on beginning university
filled in questionnaires at the start of term and again five
weeks later. The same subject groups were the basis for the
study on social factors, and the study on life events. The
fourth study was also in two parts. A different sample of
students were the subjects for the first part, and the same
clinical and control groups participated in the second part.
Factors found to be associated with the state of depression
were: Internal, stable and global attributions for the
causes of bad events, negative view of future outcomes, and
negative view of self; social skill deficits and lack of
social support; recent difficult life events. One factor
failed to show any strong association with the depressed state –
unrealistic goals. Factors associated with vulnerability to depression:
Negative evaluations of future outcomes, and of self, unrealistic goals
and, surprisingly, lower-than-normal goals; deficits in social skill
(especially low self-confidence in social settings) and lack
of social support; history-of difficult life events. Factors
which failed to show association with vulnerability to
depression: Causal-attributions for events; adverse reaction
to depression itself. Deficits in social skill were
associated with lack of social support. Depression proneness itself appeared to be a risk factor for negative life events.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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