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

One of the most common mental health problems across the globe is major depression. It is a disorder that generates great anguish and suffering to those who suffer from it, and that is generally highly disabling.

Throughout history there have been many authors who have tried to explain the causes or factors that lead to suffering from depression, in order to be able to understand it and find ways to fight it. In this sense, 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 depression, which we are going to explore throughout this article.

• Related article: "The psychologist in cases of depression: cognitive-behavioral treatment"

Depression: description and general symptoms

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

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

All of this leads to great difficulties in the functionality of those who suffer from it., who also over time can find himself socially isolated and lose many social interactions with other people at the same time. couple that sees their work and/or academic performance reduced, something that can generate conflicts and a worsening of the quality of life of the patient.

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

Hopelessness theory of depression

The theory of depression due to hopelessness is one of the different explanatory models aimed at try to provide an explanation of the reason or factors that affect the appearance of the depression.

This model was proposed by Abramson, Metalsky and Alloy, who start from a cognitivist conception of depression similar to but different from that of Aaron Beck. In the theory of depression due to hopelessness, the existence of a vulnerability of basis that would facilitate that, when facing a stressful situation, the person can fall into a depression.

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

This style makes the idea of ​​hopelessness appear, to attribute responsibility for everything negative that could happen to the person and the lack of belief in one's own ability to affect the results of the events.

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

A mentality close to the learned helplessness, in which no matter what is done the subject will believe that they have no impact on the world and are incapable of successfully coping with situations.

This theory has been reviewed and criticized over time, but it has been especially observed relevant to explain the symptoms of depression in adolescents, especially in the case of girls youths.

Differences with Beck's theory

Although Abramson et al.'s theory and Beck's are similar in many aspects, the truth is that they have significant differences between them.

One of them is precisely the fact that while for Beck the causes of depression are found in the activation of dysfunctional mental schemes derived from negative biases (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 find ourselves before some strange inferences, but rather they are logical from the vital learning that has been able to trigger.

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

Likewise, while for Beck the cognitive schemas of the cognitive triad are the central elements of depression, for the theory of depression due to hopelessness the most central and important in the explanation of depression is the feeling of hopelessness.

Other influential factors

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

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

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

Bibliographic references:

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