The Relationship between Cognitive-behavioral Styles and Depression in Undergraduate Students: Focusing on Schemas and Selection Factors of Action

Abstract

This study investigated characteristics of reinforcement sensitivity and schemas in undergraduate students, and whether there were any related differences in the students' self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores. In the first study, undergraduate students (N=693; 270 males, 423 females) completed a questionnaire. Analysis of the results showed that the students could be grouped into five clusters of cognitive-behavioral styles, described as follows: Distorted Cognitive/Passive Avoidance Tendency; Low Reward-Responsiveness; Low Distorted Cognitive; Behavioral Activation; and Distorted Cognitive/Active Avoidance Tendency. Participants of the Distorted Cognitive/Passive Avoidance Tendency type had higher SDS scores than the other clusters. In the second study, a different group of undergraduate students (N=175; 57 males, 118 females) were grouped into the same five clusters. We looked at differences of SDS scores among the five clusters in a six-month longitudinal study. The results showed that participants of the Cognitive Distortion/Passive-Avoidance Tendency type had high SDS scores during the follow-up period. Appropriate intervention methods for each group are discussed.