The purpose of this study was to examine the main hypotheses of Lewinsohn's (1974, 1975) behavioral theory of depression, with primary focus on the temporal relationship between positive reinforcement and depression. Ninety-eight college students (targets) and their dormitory roommates were followed longitudinally over the course of an academic year. Three times during the year, each target and roommate were brought into the laboratory for data collection sessions in which they filled out questionnaires and engaged in a 30-minute conversation about their relationship which was video-taped for subsequent behavioral analysis. At each session the target was given a structured diagnostic interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia; Endicott & Spitzer, 1978) and a Research Diagnostic Criteria (Spitzer, Endicott, & Robins, 1978) diagnosis to determine group assignment. Additionally, each pair kept weekly records of their activities between sessions. The primary analyses compared targets who were not depressed initially but became depressed during the year (n = 27) with targets who remained free of psychopathology (n = 43) and with targets who manifested some type of nondepressive psychopathology (n = 16). Data taken before any targets became depressed was analyzed, and the results showed that targets who subsequently became depressed initially reported receiving a lower amount of positive reinforcers from their entire group of friends, relative to controls. Additionally, targets who became depressed and had a history of depressive episodes (n = 10) reported that activities with friends were less enjoyable, relative to controls. No differences were observed between groups on: availability of potential positive reinforcers to targets, amount of positive reinforcers targets received from either roommates or from the general environment, or target's / social skill. Several exploratory analyses were also conducted. These findings only partially support Lewinsohn's theory of depression. A number of possible explanations for these equivocal findings were discussed, and several suggestions for modifications to theory and for future research were made. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-03, Section: B, page: 1128. / Major Professor: Jack E. Hokanson. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77984 |
| Contributors | Welker, Richard Anthony., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 143 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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