MOOD AFFECTIVE seligman et al. (1988)

Question 1

aim

Answer 1

aimed to replicate prev research that showed pos correlation between depressive attributional style and severity of depressive symptoms

Question 2

methodology

Answer 2

ps completed BDI
and ASQ attributional style ques
attributions about 12 hypothetical pos and neg events

additional measures of mental health symptoms
6 months of weekly cognitive therapy: 22.5 sessions
all carefully diagnosed
data collection = interview w the SADS
32 reassessed within a month of their last therapy session
26 followed up with 12 months later
findings compared with those of a matched control group of non depressed ps

Question 3

sample

Answer 3

n=51
have mood disorder
39 unipolar
12 bipolar

Question 4

results

Answer 4

Positive correlation: depressive attributions for negative events & symptom severity (before, after, & follow-up).

Non-depressed group = lower pessimism than depressed.

Greater decrease in pessimism → greater symptom improvement.

Stable improvement over time.

No significant difference in pessimism between unipolar & bipolar groups.

Bipolar: higher pessimism with trait anxiety.

Pessimism at therapy end linked to relapse risk at 12 months.

Control group showed stable attributional style → suggests trait, not just low mood or circumstances.

Question 5

conclusions

Answer 5

people with BPD and UPD share a cognitive attributional style which favours internal, global, stable attributions of neg events
in comparison to people without depression

can be altered in therapy
associated w the greater probability of remission at 12 months

Question 6

SELIGMAN STRENGTH-VALIDITY

Answer 6

matched control group
allowed to monitor extent to which pessimism changes over time
helps to provide evidence that it’s a stable trait not a reaction to circumstance (state-pessimism)
evidence to support pessimism as a fixed trait = support cognitive explanation
hat depressed mood = bc of pessimism not a cause

Question 7

SELIGMAN STRENGTH-RELIABILITY

Answer 7

triangulation reliability
rated on BDI by ps
rated by clinicians who observed ps in SADS interview
measurement is more valid
assessed by more than one technique

Question 8

SELIGMAN WEAKNESS-LACK GENERALISABILITY

Answer 8

gender imbalance in sample, lack of generalisability
31 fem but 20 male
findings may differ in fems and males

Question 9

SELIGMAN WEAKNESS-GENERALISABILITY 2

Answer 9

ATTRITION HIGH
only 26 from original 39 completed follow up assessments
may not have been representative of OG sample or target pop
those that dropped out may have had more severe symptoms
relationship between pessimism, depression, and treatment efficacy and relapse may have been diff if they were part of final sample