The hopelessness theory of depression: what is it and what does it propose?

A theoretical model created by Abramson, Metalsky and Alloy to explain the origin of depression.

One of the most common mental health problems worldwide is major depression. It is a disorder that generates great anguish and suffering for the sufferer, and is generally highly disabling.

Throughout history there have been many authors who have tried to explain the causes or factors that lead to depression, in order to understand it and find ways to combat it. There are a large number of theories and models that attempt to analyze and explain this disorder.

One of them is the hopelessness theory of depressionthat we are going to explore throughout this article.

Depression: description and general symptomatology

Major depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide, characterized by the continuous presence (most of the day and almost every day of a period of at least two weeks) of a sad mood and the loss of the ability to feel pleasure (known as anhedonia). (known as anhedonia).

Along with these appear other symptoms such as sleep and/or eating problems, weight alterations, isolation, loss of desire to do things, fatigue, decreased libido, passivity, concentration problems, suicidal ideation and/or hopelessness.

All this leads to great difficulties in the functionality of the sufferer.In addition, over time, the patient may become socially isolated and lose many social interactions with other people, while his or her work and/or academic performance is reduced, which can lead to conflicts and a worsening of the patient's quality of life.

Passivity and hopelessness are, together with anhedonia and possible cognitive distortions typical of depressogenic schemas, two of the symptoms that make it more difficult to overcome the disorder by reducing the belief in one's own ability to improve. Y hopelessness has been considered fundamental in major depression by some authors, among them by some authors, among them the creators of the hopelessness theory of depression.

Hopelessness theory of depression

The hopelessness theory of depression is one of several explanatory models aimed at attempting to provide an explanation for the reason or factors that influence the onset of depression.

This model was proposed by Abramson, Metalsky and Alloywho start from a cognitivist conception of depression similar to but different from that of Aaron Beck. The hopelessness theory of depression establishes the existence of a basic vulnerability that facilitates that, when facing a stressful situation, the person may fall into depression.

This vulnerability is mainly cognitive in originand specifically arises from cognitive inferential styles in which an internal, global and stable attribution for negative situations prevails, as well as in the anticipation of adverse situations and events as a consequence of one's own actions.

This style causes the idea of hopelessness to appear, the attribution of responsibility for everything negative that could happen to the person and the absence of belief in one's own ability to affect the outcome of events.

Generally, the presence of these styles facilitates the appearance of a type of depression called hopelessness, which is linked to symptoms of depression. is linked to specific symptomatology that would include sadness, fatigue, low levels of self-esteem, and possibly suicidal thoughts and ideation. and possibly suicidal thoughts and ideations.

A mentality close to learned helplessness arises, in which no matter what is done the subject will believe that he/she has no impact on the world and is unable to cope successfully with situations.

This theory has been revised and criticized over time, but has been found to be particularly relevant in explaining the symptomatology of depression in adolescents, especially in the case of young girls.

Differences with Beck's theory

Although the theory of Abramson and collaborators and Beck's theory are similar in many aspects, the truth is that they have relevant differences between them.

One of them is precisely the fact that while for Beck the causes of depression are to be found in the activation of dysfunctional mental schemas. the activation of dysfunctional mental schemas derived from negative biases (among which the fact (among which the fact of ignoring positive information and focusing on the negative ones stands out), in the theory of depression due to hopelessness we would not be faced with strange inferences, but rather they are logical from the vital learning that could have generated them.

The hopelessness theory of depression assesses that, in fact, people with depression may have less biased perceptions than the non-clinical population. may have a less biased perception than the non-clinical population by not being by not being influenced by the illusion of control.

Also, whereas for Beck the cognitive schemas of the cognitive triad are the central elements of depression, for the hopelessness theory of depression it is the feeling of hopelessness that is most central and important in the explanation of depression.

Other influential factors

Subsequent research has analyzed how various factors can also lead to vulnerability. An example of this is the existence of the experience of maltreatment, in addition to the comorbid existence of depression.The comorbid existence of personality disorders (especially those suffering from personality disorders of clusters C and B) is another example.

This model also establishes the existence of influential Biological factors, such as the presence of cerebral asymmetry or greater activity of the relative right anterior area.

Although these factors are not necessary for depression to exist, if they do exist they would be facilitators or risk factors for depression.

Bibliographical references:

• Abramson, L.Y., Alloy, L.B., Metalsky, G.I., Joiner, T.E. and Sandín, B. (1997). Hopelessness theory of depression: Recent contributions. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Psychology, 2 (3): 211-222.
• Calvete, E., Villardón, L., Estévez, A. and Espina, M. (2007). Hopelessness as a cognitive vulnerability to stress: adaptation of the cognitive style questionnaire for adolescents. Anxiety and Stress, 13(2-3), 215-227. [Online]. Available at: http://www.infocop.es/view_article.asp?id=2058.