Abstract

Learned Helplessness (LH) is a condition in which individuals potentially suffer from a sense of powerlessness that may lead to cognitive distortions, anxiety or depression. A significant amount of research suggests that learned helplessness requires a reconstructing of thought processes. Thus, research suggests that Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) may empower individuals to change their negative distortions. This study suggests that learned helplessness is a growing problem, especially in college students. The hypothesis for this study was that learned helplessness potentially affects cognitive distortions, anxiety, and depression. It consisted of a survey with four demographic questions and a 24-question Likert scale questionnaire entitled Learned Helplessness and the Potential Effect on Cognitive Distortions, Anxiety, and Depression. The participants (n=36), consisting of 32 females and 4 males, were asked to fill out the survey. All participants were between the ages of 18-84. The survey results suggest that 60% of the participants felt learned helplessness. Thus, the participants potentially had high levels of cognitive distortions, anxiety, or depression. The variable of error is that all participants were in school. Future studies would incorporate data from those that have dropped out of school connected to their learned helplessness and a lack of a growth mindset.