Sequential influences of emotion regulation and rumination in trait mindfulness-depression relationships.

A survey of 1,000 undergraduates examined how trait mindfulness relates to depression symptoms through emotion regulation and rumination. Structural equation modeling showed that all mindfulness facets reduced depression symptoms sequentially via increased reappraisal and decreased brooding rumination. Additional pathways through reduced suppression, brooding, and reflective pondering appeared for the Describe, Act with Awareness, and Nonjudge facets. Meditation experience moderated the Nonreact facet's pathway: among those without meditation experience, nonreactivity was positively associated with brooding, reflective pondering, and depression via suppression, but these associations were absent in experienced meditators. The authors propose that emotion regulation and ruminative processes underlie mindfulness-depression relationships, with implications for tailored interventions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Depression is a common mental health disorder affecting millions worldwide. Pharmacotherapies are partially effective, but numerous side effects often make them unfavorable. Recent investigations show that mindfulness meditation effectively mitigates depression-symptoms but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we examined the sequential influence of emotion regulation (ER) and rumination tendencies to explore trait mindfulness (TM) effects on depression-symptoms. 1000 undergraduates provided ratings on their depression-symptoms, mindfulness-experience, TM, ER strategy-use and rumination tendencies. Structural equation modeling was used to examine sequential influences of ER strategies and rumination tendencies on TM-depression relationships and how these mechanisms were moderated by meditation-experience. All TM facets showed sequential influences on depression-symptoms through increases in reappraisal and decreases in brooding rumination. Describe, Act with Aware and Nonjudge facets showed additional pathways including reductions in suppression, brooding-rumination and reflective-pondering. The Nonreact facet showed significant influence of meditation-experience on the mediation pathway through suppression. For individuals without meditation-experience there were positive associations between nonreactivity and brooding-rumination, reflective-pondering and depression-symptoms via suppression. These associations were absent in meditation-experienced individuals. Findings suggest the hypothesis that sequential influences of ER strategies and ruminative processes underlie TM-depression relationships and might have implications for how TM facets influence ER and rumination to promote or mitigate depression.