The Effect of Parental Depression on Cognitive Vulnerability

Abstract

This paper reports on research on the effect of parental depression on cognitive vulnerability to depression. Although there is extensive literature to suggest that parental depression confers depressotypic cognitive thinking in children, no research has examined the effect of this vulnerability factor in young adults. Data were collected from 38 college-age students, who, after being given a negative mood prime, were measured for dysfunctional attitudes, irrational beliefs, and information processing biases. Results showed a difference between the groups on measures of attributional style and endorsement of depressogenic words. High-risk individuals displayed greater depressotypic cognitive thinking. Implications and potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.