DYSFUNCTIONAL ATTITUDES AND VULNERABILITY TO DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - A 14-WEEK LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

Beck's acute-onset model of depression proposes that initially asympto matic individuals with high levels of dysfunctional attitudes (DA) wil l become depressed when stressors occur Using a large student sample ( n = 275), we conducted a 14-week longitudinal study aimed at testing B eck's model as an acute-onset model. Consistent with past studies (Mon roe, Bromet, Connell, & Steiner 1986; Roberts & Monroe, 1992), a DA St ress interaction did not obtain when all subjects (both symptomatic an d asymptomatic) were included in the data analyses. However when analy ses were restricted to initially asymptomatic subjects, the predicted DA Stress interaction effect did obtain. Specifically, under condition s of high stress, initially asymptomatic subjects with high levels of dysfunctional attitudes showed greater increases in depressive symptom s than initially asymptomatic subjects with low levels of dysfunctiona l attitudes. Follow-up analyses revealed that this DA Stress interacti on was specific to females and not males. Possible reasons for the fem ale-specific effect are discussed. In general, these findings call att ention to the fact that subject selection procedures may affect a rese archer's ability to predict future onset of depression.