Attributional Style as a Predictor of Hopelessness Depression

Stable and global attributions for negative events were tested as predictors of hopelessness depression symptoms, obtained from a diagnostic interview for a past depressive episode in a sample of 102 graduate students. All participants were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–IV, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Personal Style Inventory, and a modified version of the Extended Attributional Style Questionnaire. A stable and global attributional style for negative events was significantly associated with a composite of hopelessness depression symptoms. A regression analysis revealed that attributional style significantly postdicted hopelessness depression symptoms when controlling for both sociotropy and autonomy. Structural equation modeling supported a model in which stable and global attributions predicted a latent variable, which we refer to as a motivational deficit, involving psychomotor retardation and fatigue as indicators. Therefore, this study obtained some support for the hopelessness model and highlights the vulnerability posed by attributional style ( Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, 1989 ).