Hopelessness: A Concept Analysis of a whole into its The objective of this paper is to offer an analysis, “separation 2012) of the concept of hopelessness and the residual component parts” (Merriam-Webster, effects that a feeling of hopelessness may have on an individual’s psychological health. In deconstructing the concept of hopelessness this paper will address three defining characteristics of hopelessness. Hopelessness and depression, risk for suicidality, and insufficient or maladaptive coping skills are all examples of circumstances that create or exacerbate an environment that breeds hopelessness. Hopelessness can be defined of thinking and feeling which frames life with as “a manner negative perceptions of the present and bleak expectations about the future” (Barker, 2009, p. 184). A person experiencing feelings of hopelessness generally anticipates that there is no way for life to improve, upholding the belief that he or she is powerless in effecting any positive change. (Barker, 2009, p. 184). The nature of a and content is hopeless person’s thought process often of a very narrow manner. In attempt to provide a sufficient concept analysis of is crucial that the ‘hopelessness’ it reader is aware of the (Abramson 1989). The theory hopelessness theory of depression et al, suggests that negative consequences and negative characteristics about the self “inferred contribute to the formation of hopelessness, and in turn the symptoms of hopelessness contribute to 2009, p. 289). This author explains that the is thus hopelessness theory depression” (Stuart, closely linked to the The cognitive model of depression cognitive model of depression. “proposes that people experience depression because their thinking is 1979, as cited et al, disturbed” (Beck in Stuart 2009). According to Stuart is seen as a cognitive problem (2009), “Depression dominated by a negative evaluation of self, the world, and the (p. 288). person’s future”
Hopelessness: A Concept Analysis The objective of this paper is to offer an analysis, “separation of a whole into its component parts” (Merriam-Webster, 2012) of the concept of hopelessness and the residual effects that a feeling of hopelessness may have on an individual’s psychological health. In deconstructing the concept of hopelessness this paper will address three defining characteristics of hopelessness. Hopelessness and depression, risk for suicidality, and insufficient or maladaptive coping skills are all examples of circumstances that create or exacerbate an environment that breeds hopelessness. Hopelessness can be defined as “a manner of thinking and feeling which frames life with negative perceptions of the present and bleak expectations about the future” (Barker, 2009, p. 184). A person experiencing feelings of hopelessness generally anticipates that there is no way for life to improve, upholding the belief that he or she is powerless in effecting any positive change. (Barker, 2009, p. 184). The nature of a hopeless person’s thought process and content is often of a very narrow manner. In attempt to provide a sufficient concept analysis of ‘hopelessness’ it is crucial that the reader is aware of the hopelessness theory of depression (Abramson et al, 1989). The theory suggests that “inferred negative consequences and negative characteristics about the self contribute to the formation of hopelessness, and in turn the symptoms of hopelessness contribute to depression” (Stuart, 2009, p. 289). This author explains that the hopelessness theory is thus closely linked to the cognitive model of depression. The cognitive model of depression “proposes that people experience depression because their thinking is disturbed” (Beck et al, 1979, as cited in Stuart 2009). According to Stuart (2009), “Depression is seen as a cognitive problem dominated by a person’s negative evaluation of self, the world, and the future” (p. 288).
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