A test of the hopelessness theory of depression in youth psychiatric inpatients

Evaluated the hopelessness theory of depression among youth psychiatric inp atients. According to the hopelessness theory of depression, negative attri butional style may cross-sectionally relate to an away of psychopathologica l symptoms. However in the presence but not the absence of negative life ev ents, negative attributional style relates to the onset and exacerbation of depressive (not other) symptoms. Moreover, negative attributional style re lates to depression onset or exacerbation specifically via changes in hopel essness (not other mediators). This study of 60 youth psychiatric inpatient s (22 boys and 38 girls; ages 9 to 17, M = 14.33, SD = 1.86), 34 of whom we re assessed 2 months after leaving the hospital, tested hopelessness theory . At baseline, participants completed self-report questionnaires on attribu tional style, hopelessness, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety; at follow -up, questionnaires on negative life events and symptoms were completed. Ch art diagnoses were available. Results were consistent with all hypotheses d erived from hopelessness theory.