THE STABILITY AND PREDICTION OF DEPRESSIVE MOOD STATES IN COLLEGE-STUDENTS

Objective criteria for predicting dysphoric mood states in college stu dents from measures of stress and cognitive and personality variables were developed and cross-validated. Contrary to Beck's diathesis-stres s model of depression, although dysfunctional attitudes, together with the number and impact of life events, self-esteem problems, and level of traditional feminine personality characteristics, predicted concur rent levels of depressive symptoms, initial level of depression was th e best predictor of future depression. Cross-validation of the criteri a resulted in accuracy rates of 86 to 87%. Implications of these resul ts and some secondary findings were discussed.