A MULTIMETHOD TEST OF THE COGNITIVE CONTENT-SPECIFICITY HYPOTHESIS IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

This multi-method study provides evidence for Beck's ''cognitive content-specificity hypothesis' in 80 young adolescent (M = 13.8 years, SD = 1.4) inpatients. Utilizing correlational and multiple regression analyses, depressive cognitive content was significantly correlated with clinician-rated (r = .27) and self-report (r - .42) non-cognitive, depressive symptoms, and not significantly related to non-cognitive anxious symptoms. Depressive cognitions were significantly predictive of only self-report, non-cognitive depressive symptoms (t = 2.47, p < .0 1). Anxious cognitive content was significantly correlated with clinician-rated (.39) and self-report (.41) non-cognitive anxiety symptoms; anxiety cognitions also were significantly correlated with self-report, non-cognitive depressive symptoms (.31). Anxious cognitive content was predictive of clinician-rated (t = 4.26, p < .0001) and self-report (t = 4.56, p < .0001) non-cognitive anxiety symptoms; anxiety cognitions also were significantly predictive of self-report, non-cognitive depressive symptoms (t = 2.29, p < .05). Results am discussed in light of advantages and disadvantages of stringent tests of the specificity hypothesis and recommendations for future research.