Final answer:
Attribution theory is crucial in understanding how individuals with depression may interpret negative events in a manner that contributes to their symptoms. People who make internal, stable, and global attributions for negative life experiences are at a greater risk of developing depression. However, interventions that help in changing these attributional styles have been shown to reduce the likelihood of depression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Attribution theory plays a significant role in understanding depression. It involves how people interpret events and how this relates to their thinking and behavior. In the context of depression, attributions can be problematic when they are negative and self-defeating.
According to the reformulated theory by Seligman and colleagues, a person with depression may tend to make internal attributions (blaming themselves), stable attributions (believing their inadequacies will not change), and global attributions (generalizing to all aspects of life) for negative experiences. This pattern can lead to a sense of helplessness and contribute to the symptoms of depression.
Encouragingly, research indicates that changing one's attributional style can reduce the risk of depression. Interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy help individuals reframe their thoughts to make more external, unstable, and specific attributions for negative events—thereby fostering resilience against depression. Attributional training can fortify individuals against the development of depressive symptoms by promoting a healthier explanatory style.