Abstract
This study examined differences in cognitive appraisal and causal attributions in response to a task among schoolchildren reporting high and low depressive symptomatology. From a sample of 361 fifth- and sixth- grade students, 72 children were classified as depressed or nondepressed on the basis of their scores on the Children's Depression Inventory. They were then presented with modified Picture Arrangement problems from the WISC- R and questioned about their performance. Pretask expectations, evaluations, and future expectations of performance for the self and that of same- aged peers were assessed, as well as causal explanations for solvable and unsolvable problems. Despite similar performance, the depressed group of children provided lower evaluations for themselves than for others on all three measures of self- appraisal, whereas the nondepressed group did not show this tendency. Further, the attribution results indicated that the two groups differed in their explanations for failure, with the depressed group emphasizing the importance of ability in failure and the nondepressed group emphasizing factors other than ability. Overall, the results provide support for the presence of negative cognitions and self- defeating attributional style among depressed relative to nondepressed children, as well as pointing to the importance of social comparison processes in depression.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., & Teasdale, J. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique and reformulation.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 49–74.
Alloy, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (1979). The judgment of contingency in depressed and nondepressed students: Sadder but wiser?Journal of Experimental Psychology, General, 108, 441–445.
American Psychiatric Association. (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Beck, A. T. (1967).Depression: Clinical, experimental, and theoretical aspects. New York: Hoeber. (Republished asDepression: Causes and treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1972.)
Bird, K. D., & Hadzi-Pavlovic, D. (1984). Simultaneous test procedures and the choice of a test statistic in MANOVA.Psychological Bulletin, 93, 166–178.
Brewin, C. R., & Furnham, A. (1986). Attributional versus preattributional variables in selfesteem and depression: A comparison and test of learned helplessness theory.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1013–1020.
Cantwell, D. P., & G. A. Carlson (Eds.). (1983).Affective disorders in childhood and adolescence: An update. New York: Spectrum.
Carlson, G. A., & Cantwell, D. P. (1980). Unmasking masked depression in children and adolescents.American Journal of Psychiatry, 137, 445–449.
Gong-Guy, E., & Hammen, C. L. (1980). Causal perceptions of stressful life events in depressed and nondepressed outpatients.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 89, 662–669.
Groff, M. G. (1983). A scheme for conducting two-sample profile analysis.Multivariate Behavioral Research, 18, 169–181.
Haley, G. M. T., Fine, S., Marriage, K., Moretti, M. M., & Freeman, R. J. (1985). Cognitive bias and depression in psychiatrically disturbed children and adolescents.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 535–537.
Kaslow, N. J., Rehm, L. P., & Siegel, A. W. (1984). Social-cognitive and cognitive correlates of depression in children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 12, 605–620.
Kovacs, M. (1980). Rating scales to assess depression in school-aged children.Acta Paedopsychiatrica, 46, 305–315.
Kovacs, M., & Beck, A. T. (1977). An empirical clinical approach towards a definition of childhood depression. In J. G. Schulterbrandt & A. Raskin (Eds.),Depression in children: Diagnosis, treatment, and conceptual models (pp. 1–25). New York: Raven.
Lobitz, W. C., & Post, R. D. (1979). Parameters of self-reinforcement and depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 88, 33–41.
Lobovitz, D. A., & Handal, P. J. (1985). Childhood depression: Prevalence using DSM-III criteria and validity of parent and child depression scales.Journal of Pediatrie Psychology, 10, 45–54.
Moyal, B. R. (1977). Locus of control, self-esteem, stimulus appraisal, and depressive symptoms in children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 951–952.
Nelson, R. E., & Craighead, W. E. (1977). Selective recall of positive and negative feedback, self-controled behaviors, and depression.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 86, 379–388.
Nicholls, J. G. (1975). Causal attributions and other achievement-related cognitions: Effects of task outcome, attainment value and sex.Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 379–389.
Nolan-Hoeksema, S., Girgus, J. S., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1986). Learned helplessness in children: A longitudinal study of depression, achievement, and explanatory style.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 435–442.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (1984). Causal explanations as a risk factor for depression: Theory and evidence.Psychological Review, 91, 347–374.
Saylor, C. F., Finch, A. J., Jr., Baskin, C. H., Furey, W., & Kelly, M. M. (1984). Construct validity for measures of childhood depression: Application of multitrait-multimethod methodology.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 977–985.
Seligman, M. E. P., Peterson, C., Kaslow, N. J., Tannenbaum, R. L., Alloy, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (1984). Attributional style and depressive symptoms among school children.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 235–238.
Wechsler, D. (1974).Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISCR). New York: Psychological Corporation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported by studentships to Nancy Meyer from the Manitoba Health Research Council and subsequentlv from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and by a grant to Dennis Dyck from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Councel of Canada. The research was done in partial fulfillment of the first author's master's degree in the Department of Psychology at the University of Manitoba.
We would like to thank Rhea Brooks, April Machej, and Colleen Singbeil, for their assistance in the study; John Schallow, John Whitely, Lillian Esses, and Mike Thomas, for their helpful suggestions; and the teachers, administrators, and parents of Assiniboine South #3 School Division, for their cooperation and support.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meyer, N.E., Dyck, D.G. & Petrinack, R.J. Cognitive appraisal and attributional correlates of depressive symptoms in children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 17, 325–336 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917402
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917402