Extreme responding on the Attributional Style Questionnaire
Although not a focus of the current study, other researchers have examined one kind of
rigidity in terms of causal explanations for negative events. Specifically, Teasdaleetal.
(2001) recently reported findings consistent with the conclusion that cognitive rigidity
represents a vulnerability to relapse of depression. In their study, 158 patients with
partially remitted major depression were randomly assigned to receive medication
continuation (N ¼ 78) or medication continuation plus cognitive therapy (N ¼ 80).
Patients who endorsed extremely depressotypic or nondepressotypic responses
(responding with 7 or 1, respectively) on the ASQ were at greater risk for relapse than
participants who did not respond so extremely. Further, the reduction in the tendency
to make these extreme responses appeared to be the mechanism by which cognitive
therapy conferred protection against relapse.
Current study
Given the novelty of the construct, no studies have yet examined the effects of a mood
priming challenge on explanatory flexibility. Similarly, no published studies have
reported the effects of a mood priming study on explanatory style. Thus, the present
study sought to do so by using the mood-priming methodology first utilized by Miranda
and Persons (1988). The hypotheses of the current study were: