Mood Induction, Interpersonal Perceptions, and Rejection in the Roommates of Depressed, Nondepressed-Disturbed, and Normal College Students

Abstract

The present study used the MMPI to select, based on multidimensional criteria, 51 college students displaying depression alone, depression in conjunction with other psychological disturbance, nondepressive psychological disturbance, or no psychological disturbance. All students selected had been living with randomly assigned roommates for at least 10 weeks. Depressive symptoms, perceptions, and rejection were assessed in the roommates of these students 2-7 days after the initial screening. Roommates of students depressed in conjunction with other psychological disturbance were significantly more depressed themselves on two different measures than were roommates of students in the other three groups. Rejection was suggested by a disproportionately high incidence of roommate breakups involving students with this profile type. Roommates who remained with these students also differed from roommates in the other three conditions in their inability to simulate accurately students' earlier responses to the MMPI ...