Indirect Pathways From Dysfunctional Attitudes and Attributional Style to Depressive Symptoms Through Imposter Phenomenon.

Objectives: Cognitive theories of depression focus on how cognitive vulnerabilities increase risk for depression in the context of negative life events. To complement this perspective, two studies were conducted to examine associations among cognitive vulnerabilities, imposter phenomenon, and depressive symptoms to better understand how cognitively vulnerable individuals may respond to positive life events in ways that minimize their potential benefits.

Methods: Study 1 (N = 395 undergraduates) examined associations among dysfunctional attitudes, attributional style, imposter phenomenon, and depressive symptoms, whereas Study 2 (N = 443 undergraduates) examined associations among dysfunctional attitudes regarding performance evaluation and approval by others, imposter phenomenon, and depressive symptoms.

Results: Dysfunctional attitudes and, to a lesser degree, negative causal attributions for positive life events, were significantly and positively associated with imposter phenomenon, which served as an indirect pathway linking cognitive vulnerabilities with depressive symptoms (Study 1). Dysfunctional attitudes regarding performance evaluation were more strongly associated with imposter phenomenon than those regarding approval by others, and imposter phenomenon served as an indirect pathway linking dysfunctional attitudes with depressive symptoms (Study 2).

Conclusion: Minimizing achievements and successes in ways characterized by imposter phenomenon may be one pathway by which people with cognitive vulnerabilities, particularly dysfunctional attitudes regarding performance evaluation, are vulnerable to depression.