Investigations of the reformulated learned helplessness model of depression have produced conflicting results. To contrast the attributional responses of clinically depressed men and women, data were collected from 117 psychotherapy clinic outpatients. An expanded version of the Attribution Style Questionnaire was administered. Forty people…

Perry and Dickens (1984) found that noncontingent-trained students perceived they had less control and manifested a helpless attribution profile compared to contingent-trained students in a simulated college classroom. To examine the effects of varying amounts of noncontingent success on students' perceived control and attributions, 90 students at…

There is considerable debate regarding the effects of childhood sexual abuse on an individual's subsequent adjustment. To determine which variables are most useful in predicting subsequent adjustment of individuals who were involved in sexual experiences as children or adolescents, 59 female and 17 male undergraduates who reported having had a…

Both external locus of control (i.e., a generalized expectancy that reinforcement is controlled by luck or fate instead of oneself) and internal locus of attribution (i.e., beliefs that success or failure result from an individual's actions rather than external causes) have been related to depression. To examine the relationship of attributions…

A study was made to determine whether there exists a group of overpersisting children who are considered mastery-oriented because of their persistence but who actually demonstrate characteristics of learned helplessness. Subjects were 71 females and 84 males from fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade classrooms. Children's scores on the Intellectual…

John Bowlby's theory of affectional bonding and the reformulated learned helplessness theory of depression were integrated into a multivariate model in order to expand the breadth of current attributional theories of depression. This retrospective study focused upon the quality of parent-child relations, the types of discipline parents employed,…

The potential for feelings of hopelessness and depression in the aged is well documented. Although studies have examined the role of perceived control in ameliorating depression in the institutionalized elderly, no research has actually measured the perceived causal attributions among depressed, hopeless and/or institutionalized elderly…

The reformulated learned helplessness model for the prediction of depression has been investigated extensively in young adults. Results have linked attributions made to undesirable, controllable events to depression in this age group. This reformulated model was investigated in 97 elderly women and was contrasted to the original learned…

This study investigated the mastery-oriented and learned-helplessness response patterns of children (n=13) with visual impairments in grades 3 to 6 who were divided into two groups, low vision children who were visual learners and nonvisual learners. Subjects were given the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire. No significant…

Both cognitive and learned helplessness models of depression stress the importance of low self-esteem in the etiology of depression and depressive symptomatology. To investigate the correlations and causal relationship of low self-esteem to depressive cognition, equal groups of low, medium, and high self-esteem college students (N=135; 89 female,…

Describes the theory and known influences on learned helplessness, particularly in the mathematics field, and discusses prevention and remediation with respect to this phenomenon. (PK)

Following a traditional learned helplessness paradigm, subjects initially tried to terminate random bursts of noise using a button-pressing manipulandum and next tried to solve 20 serially-presented anagrams. The noise was broadcast at either a loud or soft intensity, and the subject's button-pressing was either successful (Escape condition) or…

This study of six mainstreamed students (in grades six and eight) with learning disabilities, their parents, and their teachers found considerable confusion and ambiguity concerning the impact of letter grades on students with learning disabilities. Students tended to feel helpless to achieve high grades yet blamed themselves for low grades.…