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Hope is a Mediator Between Enhancing Attributional Style and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence

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Abstract

This study added to understanding of the recovery model of depression in adolescents by testing whether hope mediates the link between enhancing attributional style (EAS) and depression using two independent samples. Study 1 used cross-sectional data from 378 students (51% female) in fifth through seventh grade students. Study 2 used data from 546 (50% female) seventh and eighth grade students at two time points: January and May within the same year. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that EAS indirectly predicted depression. Cross-sectional and prospective analyses indicated that stable attributions, in particular, were associated with lower levels of depression through higher levels of hope. Notably, contrary to expectations, global attributions consistently predicted higher levels of depression. Results suggest that hope mediates the association between attributional stability for positive events and reductions in depression over time. The importance of investigating attributional dimensions is emphasized as implications and future research directions are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Kenyon Woods Middle School for their participation in the data collection phase of this project.

Funding

This research was supported by the Wheaton College Alumni Association to the first author (SYR).

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Author notes

  1. Both Dr. Sandra Yu Rueger and Dr. Jake C. Steggerda are contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, USA

    Sandra Yu Rueger

  2. Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 72701, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    Jake C. Steggerda

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  1. Sandra Yu Rueger
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Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript and should be considered as co-first authors.

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Correspondence to Jake C. Steggerda.

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Rueger, S.Y., Steggerda, J.C. Hope is a Mediator Between Enhancing Attributional Style and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-023-01511-2

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