It is hypothesized that there might be two subtypes of dysphoria. Comparison of the characteristic deficits
of attributional styles and social skills of adolescent dysphorics differentiated them into two subtypes. This suggested
that matched treatments of the two subtypes of dysphoria might be more effective than non-matched treatments. As is
predicted by the hopelessness theory of depression (Alloy, Abramson, Metalsky, & Hartlage, 1988), dysphorics
characterized by the depressogenic attributional style and adequate social skills reported significantly greater numbers of
negative life-events than dysphorics characterized by social-skill deficits and healthy attributional style. Treatments
matched to dysphoria subtypes were more effective than non-matched treatments. The authors suggest that similar
tests of dysphorics over several years might indicate that some dysphoric states intensify and that matched treatments
would abort potentially severe depressions.