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Weakest Link Hypothesis

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Hypothesis 1: H0: Adolescents’ weakest link will not impact the relation between negative life events and hopelessness and depressive symptoms from time one to time two. H1: Adolescents’ weakest link will interact with the amount of negative life events to predict an increase in hopelessness and depressive symptoms from time one to time two. Statistical test: Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the vulnerability-stress component of the hopelessness model to determine the impact of the weakest link on the relation between stressful life events and depressive and hopelessness symptoms from time one to time two. First, CDI scores for time one were entered in the equation to control for baseline levels of depressive symptoms. …show more content…

Statistical test: A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed. The time one depression scores were entered into the model first, followed by rumination scores. Next, to test the integrative model, time two depression scores were regressed on time one regression scores, weakest link, cognitive style, inferential style, and all two- and three-way interactions involving the weakest link, cognitive style and inferential style. Hypothesis 3: H0: There will be no difference in the inferential styles in rumination between males and females and the strength of the association between weakest link, negative events, and change in depressive symptoms over time will be the same in males as in females. H1: Females will report more negative inferential styles and rumination than males and the strength of the interaction between the weakest link, negative events, and change in depressive symptoms over time will be stronger in females than in males. Statistical test: Statistical analyses: Time two depression scores were regressed on time one depression scores, biological sex, weakest link, cognitive style, and life events and all two-, three-, and four-way interactions involving sex, weakest link, cognitive style, and negative life …show more content…

(2009) found that rumination was significantly related to hopelessness depression F(1, 340)=7.7 (p (-- removed HTML --) .01). The authors entered the data in three blocks. In the first block, depression and hopelessness depression symptoms were entered first. Depressive symptoms F(1,320)=348.57 (p<.01) and hopelessness depression symptoms F(2,320)=285.98 (p<.01) were both significant. The cumulative R2 for the first block was .52, which according to the definition of R2 provided by Wampold and Freund (1987) means that 52% of the variance in depressive symptoms at time two is explained by the depressive symptoms at time one. In the second block, negative life events and the weakest link composite scores were entered. The second block was also significant F(2, 318)=11.66 (p<.01). The cumulative R2 for the second block 2 was .55. This means that 55% of the variance in depressive symptoms at time two is explained by depressive symptoms at time one, negative life events, and the weakest link. The third block tested for interaction effects between the weakest link and negative life events, which was not found to be significant. The cumulative R2 for this block was .56. This means that the relation between negative life events and depressive symptoms were not moderated by the weak link. The third hypothesis was also unsupported. The authors did not find evidence for a significant interaction between biological sex, the weakest link, cognitive style, and negative

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