Social Attributions and Depression in Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between level of depressive symptoms and social attributions in 33 adolescents with Asperger syndrome. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between depressive symptoms and ability attributions for social failure, suggesting that interventions may need to focus on teaching these individuals to attribute social failure to causes other than ability. In addition, it was found that the more intelligent the individual, the less he or she attributed social success to chance and task difficulty factors, and vice versa. It is hypothesized that more intelligent participants might have developed increased cognitive awareness that more complex or multiple factors are involved in social success, rather than simply luck or chance. Findings are discussed relative to implications for practitioners.