Hopelessness theory of depression: Tests of the symptom component

This study used a short-term prospective design in an unselected sample of undergraduates to test five hypotheses derived from the symptom component of the hopelessness theory of depression (Abramson, Meta[sky, & Alloy 1989). In congruence with hopelessness theory, hopelessness was uniquely associated both concurrently and prospectively with symptoms of depression but nor anxiety. The hypothesized hopelessness depression symptoms correlated with one another more highly than they correlated with other depressive symptoms nor hypothesized to be part of hopelessness depression or with symptoms of other psychopathology. Hopelessness predicted prospectively four of the eight symptoms hypothesized to be part of the hopelessness depression symptom profile and showed a trend (p < .05) to predict an additional two hopelessness depression symptoms. Hopelessness did nor predict any nonhopelessness depression symptoms or any symptoms of anxiety disorders (somatic anxiety, phobias, obsessions/compulsions). In addition, the attributional diathesis-stress interaction featured in the theory predicted hopelessness depression symptoms prospectively and specifically, and was mediated by hopelessness. However; at odds with the theory, hopelessness failed to predict two of the symptoms (sadness, low energy) hypothesized to be part of hopelessness depression anal it did predict some symptoms of other psychopathology, primarily psychoticism, and, marginally, hostility and paranoia.