Evaluation of cognitive diathesis-stress models in predicting major depressive disorder in adolescents

Diathesis-stress predictions regarding the onset of adolescent major depres sion and nonmood disorders were tested. Adolescents (N = 1,507) were assess ed for dysfunctional attitudes and negative attributional style, as well as current depressive symptoms, current depressive and nondepressive diagnose s, and past and family histories of psychopathology. Approximately 1 year l ater, participants were reassessed on all measures. Analyses supported A. T . Beck's (1976) theory of depression (at the level of a trend) but not the hopelessness theory of depression. Findings were suggestive of a threshold view of vulnerability to depression; for those who experienced negative lif e events, depressive onset was related to dysfunctional attitudes but only when dysfunctional attitudes exceeded a certain level (low = intermediate < high), For participants who scored either very high or very low on both dy sfunctional attitudes and negative attributional style, nonsignificant find ings were obtained.