Publication Date

1984

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Martin, Randall B.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

LCSH

Depression; Mental--Care and treatment

Abstract

The time relationship between depression-associated thoughts and depressed mood was assessed by administering questionnaires every other day over the course of a psychoeducational treatment program for depression. Two groups of moderately depressed adult outpatients, an immediate treatment (IT) group (N=9) and a delayed treatment (DT) group (N=6) were examined. Of six hypotheses tested, three were supported. Almost all subjects experienced a reduction in depression following treatment. Further, that reduction was maintained at a one-month follow-up. "Explanatory style" changes occurred after the program such that participants produced fewer internal, stable and global explanations of negative outcomes. However, 1) depression did not appear to be alleviated more rapidly in the IT group than the DT group, as expected from past research. The small sample size and short waiting period were suggested as reasons for the failure to replicate previous results. 2) Reductions in the frequency of depressive cognitions did not precede or predict improvements in mood for the participants. It was suggested that the time interval of two days might have been too long, that the index of depression-associated cognitions may not assess cognitions which lead to depression, and that the relationship between depression—associated cognitions and mood may be reciprocal. 3) Reductions in the reported frequency of depression-associated cognitions were not specific to training in techniques to change cognitions. This finding was contrasted with that of a recent pharmacological study which found that changes in depression-associated cognitions followed a drug treatment for depression.

Comments

Bibliography: pages 75-85.

Extent

xi, 225 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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