Judgement of control revisited: Are the depressed realistic or pessimistic?
Counselling Psychology Quarterly, vol.12, no.1, pp.95-105, 1999 (Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 12 Issue: 1
- Publication Date: 1999
- Doi Number: 10.1080/09515079908254081
- Journal Name: Counselling Psychology Quarterly
- Journal Indexes: Scopus
- Page Numbers: pp.95-105
- Ankara University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
The study, firstly, examined the depressive realism postulate in relation to control judgements. A group of depressed and nondepressed undergraduates were exposed to a total of six judgement of control tasks (from 0% control to 100% control). Depressed and nondepressed subjects did not differ in their control judgements. Secondly, an attempt is made to classify subjects on the basis of these six judgements of control tasks as optimistic, realistic and pessimistic in perceived control judgements. It was found that pessimistic rather than realistic subjects, had higher depressive symptomatology. Lastly, pessimism about control predicted the depressive symptomatology as assessed three months later. The results are discussed in relation to the phenomenon of depressive realism and the hopelessness theory of depression.