Operationalizing the "vulnerability" and "stress" components of the hopelessness theory of depression: a multi-wave longitudinal study

The current study tested of the diathesis-stress component of the hopelessness theory (HT) using (1) a "weakest link" approach towards operationalizing vulnerability (e.g., an individual is as vulnerable to depression as his/her most depressogenic inferential style-DIS) and (2) an idiographic approach towards operationalizing high levels of stress. The procedure involved an initial assessment during which participants completed measures assessing DISs and depressive symptoms. The procedure also involved a series of eight follow-up assessments, occurring every 6 weeks, during which depressive symptoms and hassles were assessed. Hypotheses were tested in two samples of adults (i.e., adults diagnosed with a current MDE and adults diagnosed with a past MDE at Time 1). In line with hypotheses, in both samples, depressogenic weakest links were associated with greater elevations in depressive symptoms following elevations in hassles. At the same time, equally strong support was obtained for the HT when stress was operationalized from a nomothetic perspective and when vulnerability was operationalized as a DIS about causes (but not consequences or self).     

Psychodynamic Measures of Therapeutic Change

After a brief critique of the current emphasis on symptom reduction as a criterion of therapeutic change, this paper presents several methods for assessing changes in the developmental organization and thematic content of mental representations (concepts of self and significant others). These methods constitute psychodynamically oriented ways of assessing therapeutic change in psychological structures in both long-term, intensive and brief treatment. We also consider how differences in pretreatment characteristics among patients have an important impact on the therapeutic process and on the nature of therapeutic change.     

Lifetime and 12‐Month Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury and Academic Performance in College Freshmen

We examined whether nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) is associated with academic performance in college freshmen, using census‐based web surveys (N = 7,527; response = 65.4%). NSSI was assessed with items from the Self‐Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview and subsequently linked with the administratively recorded academic year percentage (AYP). Freshmen with lifetime and 12‐month NSSI showed a reduction in AYP of 3.4% and 5.9%, respectively. The college environment was found to moderate the effect of 12‐month NSSI, with more strongly reduced AYPs in departments with higher‐than‐average mean departmental AYPs. The findings suggest that overall stress and test anxiety are underlying processes between NSSI membership and academic performance.     

AGE AND GENDER DIMENSIONS OF FRIENDSHIP

Since stereotypes about appropriate social behavior appear to influence questionnaires and other self-reported data concerning friendship, an in-depth interview format was used to explore gender and age differences in friendship patterns. Thirty-one subjects were interviewed: five young males, six young females, fivemidlife males, five midlife females, five older males, and five older females. As in our previous questionnaire studies, groups described friendship in superficially similar ways. However, in the taped interviews, large gender differences appeared that followed conceptually along instrumental/expressive dimensions. Women at all ages were more expressive in their friendships, showing higher levels of empathy and altruism than men. Age differences also appeared, with men developing increased concern and thoughtfulness in friendship with greater age, and women showing more tolerance and less confrontation of their friends with greater age.