Stability of dysfunctional attitudes and early maladaptive schemas: A 9-year follow-up study of clinically depressed subjects

The Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) and the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) have been suggested as relatively stable vulnerability markers for depression and entrenched psychological disorders, respectively. One-hundred-and-forty-nine clinically depressed (CDs), previously depressed (PDs) and never-depressed subjects (NDs) completed the DAS, the YSQ and the Beck Depression Inventory in the index study and were followed-up nine years later. Results showed: (1) Elevated scores in CDs and PDs as compared to NDs; (2) Some stability of depressive symptoms; (3) Significant moderate test–retest correlations for DAS scales and YSQ scales Disconnection and Impaired Limits, also after controlling for depression severity; (4) A significant reduction in mean score for DAS total, Approval by Others and YSQ scales Disconnection and Impaired Limits; (5) Significant correlations between DAS and YSQ scales. Our results support a state-trait vulnerability model of depression comprising stable differences in availability of dysfunctional attitudes and early maladaptive schemas, but also fluctuating differences in accessibility of those schemas during the course of depression. The findings point to the significance of the YSQ scales as vulnerability markers for depression in addition to the more established DAS scales.