Abstract

SANCHEZ HERNANDEZ, Óscar  and  MENDEZ CARRILLO, Francisco Xavier. Optimism as a Protective Factor in Child and Adolescent Depression. Clínica y Salud [online]. 2009, vol.20, n.3, pp.273-280. ISSN 2174-0550.

This paper shows that an optimistic explanatory style consisting of taking positive situations as permanent and global attributions and negative situations as temporary and specific attributions is related significantly to lower depressive symptoms. Implications of these results are discussed in the light of the reformulated model of learned helplessness (Abramson, Seligman y Teasdale, 1978) and the hopelessness theory (Abramson, Metalsky and Alloy, 1989). The paper also suggests taking into account new constructs that can be influential, such as explanatory flexibility, self-perceived control over stressful situations and the importance given to them. Girls show a more optimistic explanatory style in preadolescence and participants older than 10 score higher in depression.

Keywords : optimism; explanatory style; depression; hopelessness; gender.

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