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Hypomanic traits and response styles to depression
Author(s) -
Thomas Justin,
Bentall Richard P.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1348/014466502760379154
Subject(s) - hypomania , psychology , rumination , mania , clinical psychology , big five personality traits , beck depression inventory , personality assessment inventory , personality , trait , distraction , coping (psychology) , bipolar disorder , mood , psychiatry , anxiety , social psychology , cognition , neuroscience , computer science , programming language
Objectives: To test the hypothesis that the manic defence involves specific response styles to depression, namely distraction and indulging in dangerous activities. Design: A correlational study was conducted with undergraduate participants assessed for hypomanic traits using Eckblad and Chapman's Hypomanic Personality Scale. Method: Participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, and an expanded version of Nolen‐Hoeksema's Response Styles Questionnaire. Results: Depression was strongly associated with a ruminative response style. Hypomanic traits were associated with rumination, a distraction response style and with indulging in dangerous activities. However, as only 17% of the variance in hypomania scores was accounted for, other factors must play an important role in determining this trait. Conclusions: Hypomania (and possibly mania) may be products of ineffective styles of coping with negative emotions.