Problem-solving ability and response to feedback in peer-nominated mildly depressed children

Abstract

This experiment examined hypotheses that peer-nominated, mildly depressed children possess problem-solving deficits and evaluate their problem-solving efforts more negatively than nondysphoric children. Thirty dysphoric and 30 nondysphoric children were selected by peer nomination and administered two inclusive disjunction rule-learning problems. During problem solving, children received one of three types of feedback: feedback following both correct and incorrect responses (right—wrong feedback), feedback follo wing incorrect responses and no feedback following correct responses (wrong-blank feedback), and feedback following correct responses and no feedback following incorrect responses (right-blank feedback). Contrary to a cognitive distortion hypothesis, dysphoric children did not evaluate ambiguous feedback in a more negative manner than did nondysphoric children. Importantly, dysphoric children proved to be less efficient problem solvers than nondysphoric children.