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Attributional style and self-control behavior in depressed and nondepressed children and their parents

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology volume 16, pages 163–175 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

Do the reformulated model of learned helplessness and the self-control model apply to clinically depressed children? Are the related cognitive patterns specific to depression? Are the cognitive deficits associated with depression learned from one's parents? To address these questions this investigation examined three groups of children (ages 8–12) and their parents: nonclinic (n =25),nondepressed clinic (n=22),and depressed clinic (n=15).Children were diagnosed depressed on the basis of Kiddie-SADS interview data. Depressed clinic children self-reported more depression, had a more depressive attributional style, and had more self-control problems. There were more depressed mothers in the clinic than in the nonclinic sample. Depressed clinic children had more depressed mothers than did nondepressed clinic children. There were no differences among the three groups of parents in their cognitive patterns. No relationship was found between the attributional style and self-control behavior of children and their parents.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 06519, New Haven, Connecticut

    Nadine J. Kaslow

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas

    Lynn P. Rehm & Alexander W. Siegel

  3. Houston Family Institute, 77030, Houston, Texas

    Stephen L. Pollack

Authors
  1. Nadine J. Kaslow
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  2. Lynn P. Rehm
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  3. Stephen L. Pollack
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  4. Alexander W. Siegel
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Additional information

This article is a part of the first author's doctoral dissertation in clinical psychology completed at the University of Houston under the direction of the second author. Special thanks are due to committee members Stephan Pollack, Alexander Siegel, and Nancy Illback Cook. This study was supported by a grant from the Hogg Foundation under the direction of Wayne Holtzman. The authors wish to thank the interviewers: Alice Carter, David Cole, Carolyn Ivens, Barbara Leventon, Ken Lofback, Brad Michael, Paul Rokke, Mark Salter, Donna Sorenson, Sherri Steward, and Geoff Weigand. We are deeply indebted to Walter DeLange, Patrick Brady, Michael White, and the staff at the Houston Child Guidance Center for their cooperation in this undertaking. Thanks are also extended to the participating families for sharing their time and their experiences with us.

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Kaslow, N.J., Rehm, L.P., Pollack, S.L. et al. Attributional style and self-control behavior in depressed and nondepressed children and their parents. J Abnorm Child Psychol 16, 163–175 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00913592

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00913592

Keywords

  • Cognitive Deficit
  • Interview Data
  • Attributional Style
  • Depressed Mother
  • Nonclinic Sample