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The Anticipation of Immediate Versus Final Consequences of Positive, Negative, and Ambiguous Life Events in Depressed and Nondepressed College Students

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Abstract

College students, categorized either depressed or nondepressed based on Beck Depression Inventory scores, served as subjects in this research. Their anticipation of immediate versus final consequences of positive, negative, and ambiguous life events was assessed. They were asked to write out what they believed would be the immediate and final consequences of specific life events. Events were defined as positive, negative, and ambiguous with subtype categories of affiliation and achievement. Subjects were then asked to rate the impact intensity on their lives of each anticipated consequence. The results indicate that depressive college students expect greater erosion over time of the impact of positive events than do nondepressives.

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Johnson, J.E., Petzel, T.P. & Slaughter, T.L. The Anticipation of Immediate Versus Final Consequences of Positive, Negative, and Ambiguous Life Events in Depressed and Nondepressed College Students. Psychol Rec 38, 221–226 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395017

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