Cognition as a function of depression in a student population: Content and complexity of cognitions

Abstract

Cognitive content and complexity were studied as functions of depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory in three groups of college students (N = 73): nondepressed, mildly depressed, and highly depressed. Subjects were administered six verions of Bieri's (Bieri, Atkins, Briar, Leaman, Miller, & Tripodi, 1966) Repertory Grid Test, on which they rated the three domains of persons in roles, important other, and self on two types of adjectives, those provided by the investigator and volunteered by themselves. Cognitive content was significantly determined by depression, domain, and construct; depressed subjects generated most negative content using own constructs to describe themselves. Cognitive complexity was significantly affected by depression and domain; depressed subjects attained greatest complexity in describing persons in roles. These results indicate that depressives may be differentiated from nondepressives by their use of both cognitive content and complexity, and that cognition continues to offer promise in clarifying the psychology of depression.