A correlational study of cognitive flexibility and response styles in depression

Background: Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a concern for global burden of diseases. Despite such prevalence rate and debilitating nature of depressive illness, factors contributing to the severity of depression require much attention. Given the scope of research, the present study aimed to assess the relationship between cognitive and behavioral factors with depression. Material and Methods: For this purpose, 101 participants within the age range of 20-55 years diagnosed with depression were assessed for cognitive flexibility, response styles (rumination, distraction, problem solving) and severity of depression using Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, Response Styles Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory-II respectively. Results: The data was normally distributed and the frequencies of the sociodemographic variables were assessed. The correlation was studied using Pearson’s r. The results revealed that participants were cognitively flexible but this cognitive flexibility had no significant relationship with severity of depression. Further, it was found that distraction and problem solving had a significant negative relationship and rumination has a significant positive relationship with the severity of depression. Conclusion: The severity of depression is related to the response styles but not with cognitive flexibility.