Depressogenic cognitive styles: predictive validity, information processing and personality characteristics, and developmental origins

Two of the major cognitive theories of depression, the theory of Beck [Beck , A. T. (1967). Depression clinical, experimental and theoretical aspects. New York: Harper & Row. and Beck, A. T. (1987) Cognitive models of depressi on, Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy. an International Quarterly, 1, 5-37 ] and the hopelessness theory [Abramson, Metalsky, & Alloy, (1989) Hopeless ness depression: a theory-based subtype of depression. Psychological Review , 96, 358-372], include the hypothesis that particular negative cognitive s tyles increase individuals' likelihood of developing episodes of depression , in particular, a cognitively mediated subtype of depression, when they en counter negative life events. The Temple-Wisconsin Cognitive Vulnerability to Depression (CVD) project is a two-site, prospective longitudinal study d esigned to test this cognitive vulnerability hypothesis, as well as the oth er etiological hypotheses of Beck's and the hopelessness theories of depres sion. In this article, based on CVD project findings to date, we review evi dence that the hypothesized depressogenic cognitive styles do indeed confer vulnerability for clinically significant depressive disorders and suicidal ity. In addition, we present evidence regarding moderators of these depress ogenic cognitive styles, the information processing and personality correla tes of these styles and the possible developmental antecedents of these sty les. We end with a consideration of future research directions and the clin ical implications of cognitive vulnerability to depression. (C) 1999 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.