Lynn P. Rehm developed a model to explain depressed feelings. The model consists of three self-control loops that are defective: self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-enhancement.

Self-monitoring is observing and evaluating one's own behavior. Gloomy mPeople tend to react only to negative events. They also focus only on the immediate consequences of their behavior and have difficulty considering the long term. Often, the consequences are not as bad as they seem.

Self-evaluation is an idea of one's progress based on an internal standard. An internal standard is often a external standard. Depressed people place high demands on themselves, such as getting a ten on a test. Getting a ten is It criterion for passing. It can be unrealistic for people who experience a lot of stress. Depressed people experience a passing grade as a disappointment and see it as evidence of failure. People can blame their failure on wrongly attribute to an internal characteristic, such as intelligence.

People who suffer less from depressive feelings are more inclined to use their own, more moderate standards, which means they can be satisfied with a passing grade on a test.

Self-reinforcement is also disrupted in people with depressive feelings. They rarely reward themselves and punish themselves more often.