Why work-related causes and causal attributions should be assessed separately from depressive symptoms: Response to Bianchi and Schonfeld.

In this response to Bianchi and Schonfeld's rebuttal to our commentary on the Occupational Depression Inventory (ODI), we further elaborate on our conceptual and methodological arguments for why the conflation of depressive symptoms with their attributed work-related causes in the ODI is problematic for its construct and criterion-related validity. Although we acknowledge the relevance of considering people's beliefs about the work-related causes of depression, we emphasize the importance of clearly distinguishing between depressive symptoms, their potential causes, and causal attributions in research that aims to examine the antecedents and consequences of depression in the work context. Based on a causal attribution model of depression in the work context, we illustrate how the conflation of depressive symptoms with their attributed work-related causes in the ODI introduces interpretive challenges in both cross-sectional and longitudinal research. We recommend that future research employs separate measures to assess depressive symptoms, their potential work-related causes, and causal attributions to refine our understanding of the complex relations among these constructs and to provide insights into their distinct antecedents and consequences.