A cognitive diathesis-stress model of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with juvenile rheumatic disease

In this study we tested a cognitive diathesis-stress theory of depressive symptoms (i.e., learned hopelessness theory) in children with juvenile rheumatic disease (JRD). Participants ages 9 to 17 with JRD completed measures of depressive symptoms, perceived control over daily illness symptoms, and attributions for disease-unrelated negative events. Results revealed that general negative attributions were associated with greater depressive symptoms only under conditions of low perceived control, after controlling for disease and demographic variables. Findings support a cognitive diathesis-stress conceptualization of depressive symptoms in children with JRD, suggesting the importance of interventions that target both illness-related (i.e., perceived control) and unrelated cognitive appraisals (i.e., general negative attributions).