Attributions for real and hypothetical events and their relationship to dysphoria: a longitudinal study of the reformulated learned helplessness model of depression

Abstract

The Reformulated Learned Helplessness model of depression predicts that a negative attributional style is a vulnerability feature in depression. The correlation between attributional style, attributions for specific real events and dysphoria was measured to test predictions made by the Reformulated Learned Helplessness model of depression. The effect of perceptions of control on other attributional dimensions in predicting dysphoric affect was also evaluated. In a short-term longitudinal study, 87 undergraduate students completed a measure of attributional style (Attributional Style Questionnaire), a real event attribution measure (The Attribution Questionnaire) and a measure of dysphoria (Beck Depression Inventory). One month later the Attribution Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory were readministered. Measures of attributional complexity and the timing between the event and attribution measures were also completed at both times. The strongest correlates of current dysphoric affect were composite attributions for real events, while the strongest correlates of later dysphoric affect was attributional style for hypothetical events. While attributions for real and hypothetical events were correlated with one another, they were not correlated with dysphoria in the manner predicted by the reformulated model. The finding that attributions for perceived lack of control did not mediate the relationship between other attributions and dysphoria did not support the predictions of the reformulated model of learned helplessness. The discussion focuses on the possible explanations for the differences in these correlations, given the type of attribution measure used.