One cognitive mechanism that is likely to be a result of stigma-related stress is hopelessness, a risk factor for depression (Abramson et al., 1989). Hopelessness is defined as the belief that negative events will occur (or, conversely, that desired events will not occur) and that there is nothing the individual can do to change the situation (Abramson et al., 1989). According to the hopelessness theory of depression, individuals who exhibit this “negative inferential style” are more likely to experience depressive episodes, especially when they face stressful life events. Individuals exposed to chronic stressors in their environments, including a history of childhood maltreatment (Gibb, 2002) and emotional abuse from peers (Gibb, Abramson, & Alloy, 2004), appear to develop more negative cognitive styles, including hopelessness.
