RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND COGNITIVE VULNERABILITIES OF ACHIEVEMENT AND DEPENDENCY

This study tests the hypothesis from recent theories of depression that specific depressive symptoms reflect underlying cognitive vulnerabilities of achievement and dependency. Fifty-nine depressed subjects provided information about their depressive symptoms and about two types of cognitive vulnerability: achievement and social dependency. As predicted, subjects who were more achievement-oriented reported more feelings of failure, self-hate, self-blame, guilt, loss of interest in other people, and hopelessness than those who were less achievement-oriented. Contrary to prediction, there were no relationships between dependency and sadness, concern about personal attractiveness, or crying. These findings support cognitive theories of depression, particularly the theories' descriptions of the achievement vulnerability. Both patients and nonpatients were studied, and results were independent of sample, indicating that the theories account for depressive symptoms in anyone, not just in patients. © 1991 Plenum Publishing Corporation.