The Relationship Between Depression and Hopelessness

Abstract

In both Beck's cognitive theory of depression and Brown & Harris's sociopsychological model, hopelessness is given unwarranted universality and centrality. Empirical evidence contradicting this element of the two theories has been ignored, and two new investigations are presented which suggest the existence of 'non-hopeless' depression. A more complete account of the heterogeneous nature of depression is now required.