86 psychiatric outpatients, diagnosed by RDC criteria as depressed, were administered the Hopelessness Scale. Results indicate hopelessness to be common, but not universal, in depression. Factor analysis revealed 5 factors accounting for 61.2% of the total variance. Interviewing an additional 20 subjects indicated that hopelessness was associated with suicidal wishes & with negative expectations about real-life problems. (25 refs.) (RM)