THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE, EXPECTANCIES, DEPRESSION, AND SELF-ESTEEM IN A COGNITION-BASED DEPRESSION MODEL

Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relations among a ttributional style, outcome expectancies for future life-events, depre ssion, and self-esteem in an undergraduate population (N = 195). Consi stent with the hopelessness and self-regulation theories of depression , the first series of models illustrated that positive attributional s tyles (PAS) and negative attributional styles (NAS) had direct influen ces on expectancies, and that expectancies had a direct influence on d epression. However, contrary to predictions of self-regulation theory, a NAS influenced depression independent of one's expectancies for the future. A second series of models, which included the latent construc t of self-esteem, showed that the previously modeled relations showing a PAS and a NAS having direct influence on expectancies and expectanc ies having a direct inverse effect on depression remained consistent. As suggested by self-regulation theory, a PAS had an indirect positive influence on self-esteem via expectancies. However, a PAS also had a direct positive effect on self-esteem, an unexpected finding according to self-regulation theory. The final model also showed that self-este em was inversely influenced by depression. Results are discussed in te rms of pertinent theory and methodological limitations.