Final answer:
Angela exhibits learned helplessness, which is a state where she feels that personal deficiencies cause her employment issues and that the situation is unchangeable and broadly applicable, potentially leading to depression. This condition can be treated by altering attribution habits to reduce vulnerability to depression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Angela, having been laid off from her job for the second time in a year, believes that it is something about her causing work problems and that no amount of personal effort could improve her situation. Martin Seligman would likely say that Angela has a learned helplessness. This term derives from a theory that explains how individuals might develop a belief of powerlessness, leading to a lack of initiative and potential depression after experiencing repeated negative and uncontrollable events. It involves attributions that are internal (believing the reason for the events is oneself), stable (believing the situation won't change), and global (believing that the failure applies broadly to many aspects of one's life).
This learned helplessness can also be linked to job burnout, where individuals feel emotionally exhausted, cynical, and perceive a lack of personal accomplishment. However, Seligman's theory also suggests that by changing one's attribution habits, it is possible to become less vulnerable to depression. Training in positive attributions can help mitigate feelings of helplessness and prevent the decline into a depressive state.