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Cited by 826Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychological Treatments and DisordersPsychological Treatments and Assessments

Self-regulatory perseveration and the depressive self-focusing style: A self-awareness theory of reactive depression.

Pyszczynski, Tom, Greenberg, Jeff·1987·Psychological Bulletin
DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.102.1.122
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Abstract

In this article, we apply theory and research on self-focused attention and self-regulatory processes to the problem of depression and use this framework to integrate the roles played by a variety of psychological processes emphasized by other theories of the development and maintenance of depression. We propose that depression occurs after the loss of an important source of self-worth when an individual becomes stuck in a self-regulatory cycle in which no responses to reduce the discrepancy between actual and desired states are available. Consequently, the individual falls into a pattern of virtually constant self-focus, resulting in intensified negative affect, self-derogation, further negative outcomes, and a depressive self-focusing style in which he or she self-focuses a great deal after negative outcomes but very little after positive outcomes. Eventually, these factors lead to a negative self-image, which may take on value by providing an explanation for the individual's plight and by helping the individual avoid further disappointments. The depressive self-focusing style then maintains and exacerbates the depressive disorder. We review findings from laboratory studies of mild to moderately depressed people, correlational studies of more severely depressed people, and clinical observations with respect to consistency with the theory. Recent empirical research on depression has yielded a wide

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Crossref · 10.1037/0033-2909.102.1.122

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  • Reduction of self-awareness is a core aspect of addiction and mood disorders, also associated with motivational states and stress reactivity.

    “whose reduction is a core aspect of addiction (e.g., Hull 1981) and mood disorders (e.g., Pyszczynski & Greenberg 1987) also associated with motivational states (Boekaerts, 1999) and stress reactivity (Rith-Najarian et al., 2014).”

    From Alteration of hypnotic experience following transcranial electrical stimulation of the left prefrontal cortex (2023) · cites this paper as Pyszczynski & Greenberg 1987

  • Increased first-person singular pronoun use indicates increased self-focused attention, consistent with Pyszcynski and Greenberg's integrative model of depression.

    “For example, depressed individuals use more first-person singular pronouns (eg, “I,” “me,” “my”) than nondepressed individuals [14,15], indicating increased self-focused attention, a language use consistent with Pyszcynski and Greenberg’s [16] integrative model of depression.”

    From Behavioral Activation and Depression Symptomatology: Longitudinal Assessment of Linguistic Indicators in Text-Based Therapy Sessions (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

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Authors
Pyszczynski, T., & Greenberg, J.
Affiliations
University of Colorado Colorado Springs (US)
ORCID
Venue
Psychological Bulletin
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
1987
Volume
102
Issue
1
Pages
122-138
ISSN
  • 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1455
DOI
10.1037/0033-2909.102.1.122
OpenAlex
W2067373654
Cited by
825
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 27
FWCI
29.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
Keywords
reactive depression, self-focus, self-awareness, self-worth, self-derogation, negative self-concept, depression maintenance, negative affect
MeSH terms
Adjustment Disorders, Awareness, Cognition, Humans, Psychoanalytic Theory, Self Concept

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