No worries, no cares: An investigation into self-reported "nondistress" in college students

An important methodological issue in depression analog research is whether individuals who score extremely low on self-report measures like the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) should be included in nondepressed control groups. Joiner; Schmidt, and Metalsky (1994) found that college students with BDI scores of 0 or 1 evidenced a fake-good test taking style as measured by the MMPI validity scales. The present study investigated whether very low BDI scores (BDI = 0 or 1; n = 21) might be associated with an elevated positive mood state, extreme optimism, positive attributional style or social desirability. Results indicated that the very low scoring BDI subjects scored higher on social desirability than the low scoring group (BDI 2-9, n = 63). Significant differences on mood, symptom and cognitive measures disappeared when social desirability was entered as a covariate. Findings support Kendall, Hollon, Beck, Hammen, and Ingram's (1987) recommendation that subjects who score 0 or 1 on the BDI should be excluded from a nondepressed control group.