COGNITIVE SPECIFICITY FOR MARITAL DISCORD AND DEPRESSION - WHAT TYPES OF COGNITION INFLUENCE DISCORD

Three cognitive variables; cognitions related to depression, dysfunctional beliefs about marriage, and attributions of blame for spouses' behavior, were examined as correlates of marital discord or depression among fifty white women who met DSM-III criteria for unipolar affective disorder or dysthymia and were maritally discordant. Marital adjustment correlated with attributions of blame and dysfunctional marital beliefs whereas depression correlated with depressogenic cognitions only. Regression analyses indicated that attribution of blame was most consequential for marital discord while depressogenic cognition was most consequential for depression. Attribution of blame was found to be a plausible mediator of the association between spouses' communication and their marital adjustment. The results suggest that to enhance the impact of individual therapy on marital satisfaction it may be necessary to incorporate a direct focus on the types of cognition most strongly related to marital satisfaction. © 1991 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy.