seligman helplessness- supporting study

overview of the study with the dogs

the dogs learned they could stop the pain if they could try. first and second group learned to jump over the wall that separated the box but the third group didnt because they developed the cognition that they couldnt be helped. 3 groups of dogs, group 1 did not have a shock, group 2 had shocks on the side which they could turn off if they pressed hte button, group 3 had no way of stopping it

aim

to replicate previous research that showed a positive correlation between depressive attributional style and the severity of depressive symptoms

sample and procedure

51 patients with mood disorders (39 unipolar and 12 bipolar) completed the BDI and attributional style questionnaire. all were carefully diagnosed and the data collection began with an interview using the schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia. they then completed 6 months of weekly cognitive therapy. 32 were reassessed within a month of their last therapy session. 26 were followed up 12 months later. findings were compared with those of non depressed patients

key findings (3)

there was a positive correlation between depressive attributions for negative events and severity of depressive symptoms before and after therapy, as well as the follow up, this was true for both unipolar and bipolar and scores were lower for pessimism in the non-depressed control group than the depressed group. the greater the decrease in pessimism in therapy, the greater the improvement in depressive symptoms, there was no significant difference in pessimism for people with unipolar vs bipolar disorder however pessimism was significantly higher in people with bipolar disorder who were high in trait anxiety compared with those who were low in trait anxiety. there was a link between pessimism scores at the end of therapy and risk of relapse at 12 months, explanatory/attributional style was fairly stable over time in the control group, suggesting pessimism is a trait, not an effect of low mood or circumstances.

conclusion

people with both unipolar and bipolar disorder share a cognitive attributional style which favours internal, global and stable attributions of negative events in comparison with people without depression but this tendency can be altered in therapy, and this is associated with greater possibily of remission at 12 months

what are 2 strengths (names only)

matched control group, method triangulation

why is matched control group a strength

it allowed the researchers to monitor the extent to which pessimism changes over time. this is important as it helps to provide evidence that pessimism is a stable trait as opposed to a reaction of ones current circumstances (state-pessimism) evidence to support pessimism as a relatively fixed trait helps to support the cognitive explanation of depression, that depressed mood is a result of pessimism as opposed to a cause

how is method triangulation a strength

because depressive symptoms were rated on the BDI by the participants, but they were also rated by the clinicians who had observed the patients during the SADS interview. this is important as it means the measurement of depressive symptoms is more valid as it was assessed using more than one technique

what are two weaknesses (name only)

gender imbalance, not representative

why is gender imbalance a weakness

31 females but 20 males. this means the findings cant be generalised easily as the relationship between pessimsim and unipolar depression may differ in males in comparison with females

why is not representative a weakness

only 26 from the original 39 completed the assessments at follow up. important as they may not be representative of the original sample or target population. people who dropped out may have had more severe symptoms and the relationship between pessimism, depression or treatment efficacy and relapse may have been different if these people had still been part of the final sample