A test of the depressive realism hypothesis in clinically depressed subjects

Abstract

Although the phenomenon of depressive realism has profound implications for the conceptualization of depression, the majority of studies have been conducted on analogue samples, thereby limiting the utility of these studies as investigations of clinical depression. The current study examined depressive realism in a noncontingent situation in samples of 15 clinically depressed, 15 remitted, and 15 never depressed females. Using a computerized version of the Alloy and Abramson (1979) judgment of noncontingency task, it was predicted that currently depressed subjects would demonstrate depressive realism, but that the other two groups would show comparable nonrealistic and positively biased distortions. The results provided limited support for the hypotheses. The nature and implications of the results are discussed in light of the depressive realism literature, and suggestions for future research are provided.