Abramson, Seligman and Teasdale's reformulated model of learned helplessness hypothesized that an attribution of causality intervenes between the perception of noncontingency and the future expectation of future noncontingency. To test this model, relationships between attribution and performance under failure, success, and control conditions were examined. After completing an attribution scale, 164 subjects were randomly assigned to failure, success, or control conditions. Subjects' attributions were assessed before and after taking a performance test containing mathematical problems. Subjects then completed a second performance test containing mathematical and verbal problems. Following the second performance test, subjects completed measures of attribution, depression, anxiety, and self-esteem. Results demonstrated that uncontrollable failure produces depression, anxiety, and hostility. Performance deficits depended upon attributions made on the internality and stability dimension. The internality dimension did not have a main effect on self-esteem, and the globality dimension did not affect generalization of helplessness. Some support, some refinements, and some contradictions to the reformulated learned helplessness model were found. (Author/NRB)