Dysfunctional attitudes: measurement, significant constructs and links with depression.

Equivalent forms of Weissman's Dysfunctional Attitude Scale were assessed in 251 Australian patients routinely attending their general practitioner. Normative scores were strikingly similar to those reported in North America. The influences of demographic variables on scale scores were examined, and factor analyses suggested four key attributional constructs. In a second study of 43 clinically depressed patients we assessed the degree to which higher Dysfunctional Attitude scores might be an antecedent to, or a consequence of, greater depressive severity and found support favouring the latter explanation.