Cognitive vulnerability in children at risk for depression

Cognitive vulnerability was studied in children (mean age = 11.87, SD = 0.57) who varied in their degree of risk for mood disorders as determined by their mothers' psychiatric histories. The ''high-risk'' group (n = 174) comprised offspring of mothers with histories of nonbipolar mood disorders, whereas the ''low-risk'' group (n = 55) included children whose parents were lifetime-free of psychopathology. Children completed a battery of questionnaires about deep level (i.e. attributions, self-worth, perceived competence, dysfunctional attitudes, self-criticism) and surface level cognitions (i.e. automatic negative thoughts, hopelessness). Children and mothers also were interviewed about the extent of the child's depressive symptoms during the previous two weeks. Results indicated that high-risk children, particularly offspring of mothers with a more chronic history of depression, reported a significantly more negative cognitive style than low-risk children. Even when children's current level of depressive symptoms was controlled, high-and low-risk children continued to differ with regard to their attributional style and perceived self-worth.