Depression: Influence of Hopelessness, Locus of Control, Hostility and Length of Treatment

Abstract

Depression is recognized as a serious problem, but there are numerous and conflicting theories and studies about symptoms and correlates of depression. This study was intended to help reduce the confusion by examining the relationships of the criterion variable, depression, to seven predictor variables, hopelessness, external locus of control, personal responsibility of external locus of control, general hostility, overt hostility, covert hostility, and length of treatment. Over 50% of the variance of depression was explained by hopelessness, 7% of the remaining variance was explained by covert hostility and approximately 1% was explained by length of treatment. These findings support the views of depression in which hopelessness and covert hostility are regarded as important correlates of depression. No relationship between depression and overt hostility was noted, suggesting that advocating outward expression of hostility will not alleviate depression.