The Mediating Role of Attributions in the Association Between Intimate Relationship Distress and Depressive Symptoms in a Dating Sample of Undergraduate Students. (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shnaider, Philippe; Belus, Jennifer M.; Vorstenbosch, Valerie; Monson, Candice M.; Langhinrichsen-Rohling, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Family journal. Volume 22:Number 2(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 162
• Page End: 169
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: depressive symptoms -- dating relationships -- attributions -- relationship distress -- college students; Family psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Marital psychotherapy -- Periodicals; Family counseling -- Periodicals; Marriage counseling -- Periodicals; 616.8915605
• DOI: 10.1177/1066480713513548
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-4807

Abstract

The current study investigated the mediating role of depressogenic and intimate relationship distress-maintaining attributions in the association between depressive symptoms and relationship distress in an undergraduate dating sample. Results indicated that taken together, depressogenic and distress-maintaining attributions significantly mediated the association between depressive symptoms predicting relationship distress for women, but not men. Examination of the specific indirect effects revealed that distress-maintaining blame attributions had a significant indirect effect in this association for both men and women. Possible clinical implications for the treatment of depressive symptoms and relationship distress are discussed.