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The temporal stability of social responses to depressed and nondepressed individuals

University of British Columbia

The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend the findings of previous research addressing Coyne's (1976a) interactional model of depression. The nature and temporal stability of the social responses elicited by mildly depressed and nondepressed individuals were examined. One hundred and thirty-five female undergraduate volunteers were assigned, on the basis of Beck Depression Inventory scores to groups of depressed and nondepressed targets and nondepressed subjects. At Time 1, mildly depressed targets and nondepressed targets were randomly paired with individuals from the subject group. Measures of pre-interaction mood were taken, and each target-subject dyad carried out a 5-minute videotaped "getting acquainted" conversation. Following the conversation, the subject in each dyad completed questionnaires assessing self-reported reactions to her target partner. Approximately 3 weeks later, targets returned for a second (i.e., Time 2) interaction. Depression levels were reassessed at this time and targets were divided into three groups: those who were depressed at Time 1 and remained depressed at Time 2 (n = 15), those who were nondepressed at Time 1 and remained nondepressed at Time 2 (n = 15), and those who were depressed at one time and nondepressed at the other time (n = 15). On this second occasion, targets were paired with new randomly assigned subjects; the procedures followed were identical to those at Time 1. Within- and between-times analyses were carried out on subjects' verbal and nonverbal conversational responses, as well as on their post-interaction self-reports of emotional and cognitive responses to their partners. Results were not supportive of Coyne's interactional model of depression and did not replicate the results of previous investigations. There were only minor differences in subjects' responses to groups of depressed and nondepressed targets at Time 1 and across the two testing occasions. Depressed individuals were not responded to in a more negative fashion than were nondepressed individuals in terms of observed verbal and nonverbal behaviors or self-reported reactions. Results of this investigation lead to the conclusion that social responses to mildly depressed and nondepressed target groups are essentially the same, and that these responses do not change over a 3-week interval, even though the moods of target individuals may change. The validity of laboratory investigations as tests of Coyne's interactional model is questioned, and a "developing relationships" approach to assessing interactional patterns of depressed and nondepressed individuals is proposed.

Text

2010-07-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26543

Psychology

University of British Columbia

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