Attribution styles and converging-diverging learning styles in depressed and non-depressed students

Abstract

Introduction: This study was to compare attribution styles and converging-diverging learning styles in depressed and non-depressed students. Method: It is a casual comparative study through which 170 university students selected by convenience sampling. The participants evaluated by Kolb's learning style inventory (LSI) and attribution style questionnaire (ASQ) for both positive and negative events. Using Beck's depressed inventory (BDI), the participants divided into two groups of depressed (n=45) and non-depressed (n=125). The collected data analyzed by Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U. Results: Depressed students, in comparison to non-depressed students, used less internal and stable attribution styles in positive events and there was no significant difference between the two groups in using global-specific attribution styles in positive events. However, depressed students, compared to non-depressed students, used more internal attribution style in negative events and there was no significant difference between groups in other aspects of attribution styles. Moreover, no significant difference found between the two groups in using diverging-converging learning styles. Also, in negative events, those who had converging learning style didn't use more pessimistic attribution styles in comparison with those who had diverging learning style. Conclusion: With a better understanding of both attribution and learning styles of students as two important cognitive variables, we can take a step toward recognizing cognitive vulnerability of mood disorder.