A qualitative, multi‐perspective study on causal beliefs about adolescent depression

Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice, vol. 97, pp. 477–497

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to examine: (1.1) causal beliefs about adolescent depression in a sample of adolescents with a clinical depression and their mothers and fathers; (1.2) within-family overlap of causal beliefs; (2.1) mothers' and fathers' reflected causal beliefs about their child's perspective; (2.2) the accuracy of mothers' and fathers' reflected causal beliefs as related to their child's causal beliefs. DESIGN: Qualitative study using a within-family approach. METHODS: Adolescents with a current clinical depression (MDD/dysthymia; N = 34) and their parents (N = 34 mothers, N = 26 fathers) were independently interviewed about their causal beliefs about the adolescents' depression. Parents were additionally interviewed about their perception of their child's causal beliefs (i.e., reflected causal beliefs). RESULTS: The causal beliefs most frequently mentioned by adolescents, mothers and fathers are: characteristics of the child, social factors, school and various stressful experiences. Parent-child overlap was relatively low, specifically for the themes of bewilderment, cumulative effect and stressful life events, whereas overlap was relatively high for themes of social factors, school and stressful experiences outside of the family. Parents were relatively accurate in their reflected causal beliefs, but tended to underestimate their child's insights into possible causes of their depression. Accuracy of parents' reflected causal beliefs was particularly low for the theme cumulative effect and high for social factors. CONCLUSIONS: The various causal beliefs of adolescents and their parents could be used in therapeutic setting. Future research could examine whether (guided) conversations may promote alignment within families and treatment efficacy.

Authors 7

1. Wilma G. M. Wentholt corresponding Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands

2. Loes H. C. Janssen Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands

3. Lisanne A. E. M. van Houtum Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University · Erasmus MC

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam – Sophia Rotterdam The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands

4. Mirjam C.M. Wever Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands

5. Marieke S. Tollenaar Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands

6. Lenneke R. A. Alink Aachen Institute of Education and Child Studies Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands Institute of Education and Child Studies

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Education and Child Studies Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

7. Bernet M. Elzinga Aachen Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden the Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Clinical Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition Leiden The Netherlands

   Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands