A study testing hopelessness theory measured participants' tendency to make negative inferences for bad life events while they were experiencing uncontrollable stressors. Over the following six months, participants with scores reflecting high cognitive vulnerability were 7 times more likely to develop depression than those with lower scores (Kleim, Gonzalo, & Ehlers, 2011).

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The hopelessness theory of depression posits that a specific style of negative thinking can lead to a sense of hopelessness, which in turn triggers depression. Hopelessness is defined as the expectation that negative outcomes are inevitable or desired outcomes are unattainable, coupled with the belief that one is powerless to change the situation. According to the theory, this sense of hopelessness arises from a person's tendency to attribute negative life events to causes that are stable (unchangeable) and global (affecting all aspects of life). When individuals with this cognitive style face undesirable events, they are more likely to view them as having damaging implications for their future and self-worth, which fosters the hopelessness that is considered the primary cause of depression.

Hopelessness Theory of Depression

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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