Final answer:
A student with a history of bad grades may develop learned helplessness by making internal, stable, and global attributions for their failures, leading to a perceived lack of control and decreased motivation to improve, which can result in depression.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Dweck's research on achievement motivation, a student who has a history of bad grades may be at risk for developing learned helplessness because of the way they interpret their academic failures. If a student attributes their poor performance to internal, stable, and global factors—believing they inherently lack intelligence, that this condition cannot change, and that it affects all areas of their life—they may feel a lack of control over their situation. This perception of uncontrollability can lead to passivity and a decreased motivation to try to improve their circumstances, which aligns with symptoms of depression. To prevent learned helplessness, it is beneficial to encourage healthy attribution habits, emphasizing that abilities can develop over time with effort and strategies.